The Ministry of Health has announced 20 new cases of Covid-19 in the Bay of Plenty today, with 18 of those in Tauranga. The two other Bay of Plenty cases are located in the Eastern Bay region.

There are 188 new cases announced across the country today, down 20 from yesterday's total, including a total of 12 new cases in the Lakes DHB region.

Regarding the 20 cases in the Bay of Plenty today, 13 are linked to known cases and seven are under investigation; one of which is likely to be reclassified as historical.

Of the Lakes cases, 10 are in Rotorua, where one person remains in ICU with the virus. Across the nation, 14 people are currently in hospital with Covid-19.

There were 24,935 booster doses administered on Waitangi Day yesterday, taking the total to date to 1,586,950. Also, 1,706 paediatric doses were given yesterday, bringing the total to 199,174.

'With Omicron in New Zealand, one of the best things you can do is get your booster as soon as it is due,” says a MOH spokesperson.

'Boosters lower your chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised. Being boosted also helps slow the spread of the virus. If you're over 18 and your booster is due, please get it now.”

The MOH is imploring anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be Covid-19 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.

'Even if you develop a small sniffle, please get a test.”

Covid-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,047,722 first doses (96%); 3,973,387 second doses (94%); 1,586,950 booster doses (51%)
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 286 first doses; 513 second doses; 1,706 paediatric doses; 24,935 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 514,469 first doses (90%); 489,188 second doses (86%).
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 278,199 first doses (97%); 270,727 second doses (94%).
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 199,174 first doses (42%)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 27,079 (first doses (23%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 15,738 first doses (32%)

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

• Northland DHB: First doses (89.9%); second doses (87%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%)
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89.7%)
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89.7%)
• Hawke's Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (94%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (97%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
• West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%)
• South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%)
• Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 14; North Shore: 3; Middlemore: 4; Auckland: 3; Waikato: 1; Rotorua: 2; Christchurch: 1
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 62
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 1 (Rotorua)
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only excluding cases recorded in emergency departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (1 case / 14%); partially immunised

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 170
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 38
• Number of new community cases: 188
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 27
• Location of new community cases: Northland (16), Auckland (117), Waikato (15), Tairāwhiti (1), Lakes (12), Bay of Plenty (20), Hawke's Bay (1), Mid Central (1), Hutt Valley (2), Canterbury (3)
• Number of community cases (total): 13,266 (in current community outbreaks)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 9,681
• Number of active cases (total): 1,865 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 17,612

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,183
• Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 79%
• Percentage who has returned at least one result: 72%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 12,830
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 19,266
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 6,431.

Wastewater

• No unusual detections to report.

NZ Covid Tracer

• Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,011,848
• Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday:  35,501

My Vaccine Pass

• Total issued to date: 5,067,840
• Total yesterday: 9,840

We are reporting new community cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Tairāwhiti, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Mid Central, Hutt Valley and Canterbury.

Northland

We are reporting 16 new cases in Northland today, seven of which were first announced in yesterday's update.

Of the nine remaining cases, six are in Kerikeri and three are in Whangarei. The nine cases are under investigation to determine whether they are linked to existing cases.

Auckland

There are 117 cases to report in Auckland today.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 2,495 people in the region to isolate at home, including 997 cases.

Waikato

There are 15 new cases in the Waikato today, with 12 linked to previous cases and three under investigation.

Of these new cases, there are nine in Hamilton, one in Ohaupo, one in Te Kūiti, one in Huntly, one in Waimiha, and locations for the remaining three are under investigation.

Tairāwhiti

There is one new case to report in Tairāwhiti today. The case is a household contact of an existing case and was already isolating when they tested positive.

Hawke's Bay

Today we are reporting one new case in the Hawke's Bay, which remains under investigation.

Mid Central

We are reporting one new case in Palmerston North today.

The case remains under investigation for links to a previously reported case but had recently returned to the city after travelling outside the region.

At this stage, it is believed there are only a small number of close contacts associated with this case, who will be contacted directly.

The case is isolating at home.

Hutt Valley

We are reporting two new cases in the Hutt Valley today. Both cases are currently under investigation.

Canterbury

Today we are reporting three cases in Canterbury.

All are close contacts of known cases and were already isolating when they tested positive.