The Ministry of Health has announced two new 'close contact' locations of interest in Tauranga and one new 'close contact' location in Rotorua.

Both Tauranga incidents were private events with one held in Oropi, and the other in Pyes Pa.

Anyone attending the private event at Oropi Memorial Hall & Community Centre at 1295 Oropi Road from 5.30pm - 11.30pm on Thursday January 27 is regarded as a 'close contact'.

Anyone who attended the private event at Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib Pyes Pa, at 342 Cheyne Road, Pyes Pa from9am - 3pm on Saturday January 29 is also regarded as a 'close contact'.

In Rotorua, anyone who was at the Timezone Motion Entertainment Rotorua between 11am and 2pm on Saturday January 29 is also regarded as a 'close contact'.

Ministry of Health advise that attendees at all three listed must self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after they were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.

To stay updated with locations of interest and close contacts please click here

The vaccination clinic drive-thru at Tauranga Racecourse is open from 10am - 3.30pm on Sunday and Monday of Waitangi weekend. Photo: Kate Burrell.

Bay of Plenty health officials are aiming to boost Covid-19 vaccination rates in the district this long weekend.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is welcoming the public to vaccination drive-through events which will be held at the Tauranga Racecourse and the Whakatāne War Memorial car park over Waitangi weekend.

Tauranga Covid-19 vaccination drive-through - Tauranga Racecourse, Cameron Road, Sunday 6 and Monday 7 February, 10 am–3.30 pm

Whakatāne Covid-19 vaccination drive-through - Whakatāne Memorial Hall car park, Short Street, Monday 7 February, 10 am–3.30 pm

On Saturday, New Zealand recorded the highest daily case numbers since the pandemic began, with 243 new community cases.