The Ministry of Health is today reporting 105 Omicron cases linked to the current outbreak, with active cases in the Bay of Plenty.

In a statement released this afternoon, the Ministry says 105 community cases of Covid-19 have either been confirmed as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case.

This is an increase of 15 since yesterday.

"Public health teams are continuing to manage Omicron cases in the community through rapidly isolating cases and contacts, contact tracing, and testing to slow the spread.

"Some of these additional cases have previously been reported as Covid-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.

"Therefore, some are not included in today's reported new Covid-19 community cases."

There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, MidCentral, and Nelson-Tasman.

The Ministry is expecting the number of cases and contacts to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews.

"We're asking everyone in New Zealand to act like Omicron is circulating in their community.

"That means wearing a mask in indoor settings with people you don't know, physical distancing and scanning in using the Covid-19 Tracer app, when you're out and about.

"Anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be Covid-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.

"The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. So if you have these symptoms, please get a test."

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

View current Locations of Interest here.