Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Fourteen new cases in BOP, five in Rotorua, Lynmore student tests positive

There are 14 new cases of Covid-19 in Bay of Plenty and five in Rotorua today.

All the BOP cases are in the Western Bay of Plenty. Seven cases have been linked to existing cases and interviews with the remaining cases to determine any possible connections were ongoing.

Contacts are being identified and will be called and given testing and isolation advice.

All the Lakes District Health Board cases are in or near Rotorua with three cases linked to existing cases, the Ministry of Health said.

There are 62 new cases in New Zealand with 45 in hospital and eight in ICU. A patient in their 50s has died of Covid.

There are two cases in Tauranga Hospital.

There are several new locations of interest for the region. Click here.

Positive case at Lynmore School

A student at Lynmore Primary School has tested positive for Covid-19.

Toi Te Ora Medical Officer of Health Dr Phil Shoemack said the case "may have been infectious" while at school before the term ended.

Relevant advice had been distributed to the school community, he said.

"Our team is working with the Ministry of Education to help co-ordinate the follow-up of a Covid-19 case who attends Lynmore School."

A notice issued to the school community by the school's pandemic team on December 22 stated that they had been informed of the confirmed student case that afternoon.

"We are working quickly to advise all close or casual plus contacts of the confirmed case."

They urged parents to contact a health professional or the Ministry of Health if their child starts to present cold or flu-like symptoms.

The Ministry of Health was approached for comment.

New 'high risk' locations

There are new "high risk" locations of interest in Tauranga according to the Ministry of Health.

Anyone who was at the Flying Mullet Papamoa on Tuesday, December 14 between 4.01pm and 5.30pm or Pap House Restaurant & Bar Papamoa on Wednesday, December 15 between 4.03pm and 5.30pm should self-isolate, test immediately and on day five after they were exposed at these locations.

Further high-risk locations announced yesterday included the bus route Bus #4228 2B Bayfair to Tauranga Library on Saturday, December 18 between 2pm and 3.30pm and bus route 2W (Bus #306) Tauranga Library to Bayfair Tauranga on the same day between 11am and 12.30pm.

There are several other new locations of interest for the region. Click here.