Today, the Ministry of Health is reporting there are four people in Tauranga Hospital with Covid-19.

Three people are currently in either a high dependency unit or an intensive care unit.

In today's latest numbers, 17 new community cases are being reported around the country - five in Auckland, three in Waikato and nine in the Bay of Plenty.

All of the Bay of Plenty cases are in Tauranga and are linked to previous reported cases.

There are 23 new border related cases.

Regional updates

The Ministry is continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you're vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Auckland

There are five new cases being reported in Auckland today.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1091 people to isolate at home, including 303 cases, says the MOH.

Third Omicron case confirmed.

"Public health staff are continuing to manage the third case of Omicron who has tested positive with the variant.

"They were a household contact of a case and have been in isolation during their infectious period. At this stage there are no locations of interest or exposure events.

"The risk to the community from this case has been determined as extremely low."

Waikato

There are three cases in the Waikato today and all are linked. Two of the cases are in Te Kuiti and one is in Hamilton.

Pop-up testing sites are operating in Waihi and Whitianga today. For details of all dedicated testing sites operating over the holiday period, please visit the DHB page or DHB Facebook page.

Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in the region are supporting 51 cases to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

"Today we are reporting nine new cases in Bay of Plenty. All are in the Tauranga area and all are linked to previously reported cases."

Taranaki

"Today we are reporting two cases in Taranaki. They are household contacts of each other in Taranaki.

"Public health staff are continuing to investigate to determine links to any previously reported cases in the region.

"Public health staff are also working to identify any other locations of interest and these will be updated on the Ministry of Health webpage as soon as possible.

"The Emergency Department at Taranaki Base Hospital has been identified as an exposure event. The DHB is working with those who may be affected.

"At this stage, no staff have had to be stood down. Anyone at the Emegency Department between Saturday 1 January at 6.30pm and midnight on Sunday 2 January will be considered a casual contact."