Covid 19 outbreak: 97 new community cases today - 11 new confirmed Omicron cases

January 29 2022 There were 97 cases of Covid-19 in the community today, including 11 new confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.

There are 97 new community Covid-19 cases today, including 11 new confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.

And health bosses have also urged everyone who attended the Soundsplash music festival to get tested as the number of cases from the event - being treated as Omicron - continues to grow.

There are seven people in hospital with Covid-19.

To date, 116 community cases of Covid-19 have either been confirmed by whole-genome sequencing as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case.

Yesterday a total of 105 Omicron cases had been registered so far across New Zealand, meaning there was an increase of 11 Omicron cases today.

There were 58 new Covid-19 cases identified at the border today.

The breakdown of the today's new community cases is: Northland (1), Auckland (61), Waikato (14), Tairawhiti (3), Bay of Plenty (8), Lakes (7), Hawke's Bay (3).

As of 9am this morning, 39 cases have been connected to the Soundsplash music festival in Hamilton last weekend.

"However, this number will grow as further test results are received," the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

"Given the increase in cases associated with Soundsplash, the Ministry of Health advises all attendees to get a test, if they have not already done so. If you attended the festival, please let the testing centre know that you were at the festival."

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

There are three new cases to report in Tairāwhiti today. All are connected to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton and being treated as Omicron.

The breakdown of the seven current Covid-19 hospitalisations is: North Shore (2); Middlemore (2); Auckland (1); Rotorua (2).

The average age of current hospitalisations is 52 years and there is no one in ICU.

There are eight new Covid-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty today.

This includes three cases onboard the Singapore-flagged Maersk Bogor container ship, which is currently under quarantine at the Port of Tauranga. The ship is due to leave port tomorrow.

"The vessel has been managed by the port to ensure that the risk from crew has been effectively managed. No one has been allowed off the ship. Testing was carried out following strict Infection, Prevention and Control guidelines," the Ministry of Health said.

The ship arrived in port on Friday morning and some of the 25 crew had experienced Covid-like illness, the Ministry of Health said. Testing returned three positive results in the 24-hour period to midnight last night.

Two Northland cases announced today are linked to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton. Whole-genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, Northland public health staff are treating them as if they are Omicron, the ministry said.

There are four new cases in Northland, all isolating at home. Three of these came in after the cut-off time and will be reported in tomorrow's figures.

Yesterday 12,860 paediatric doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered to children in New Zealand, bringing the total number of child vaccines administered so far to 150,207.

Nelson Marlborough is only five first doses short of partially vaccinating 90 per cent of Māori in the DHB region. It will be the eighth DHB area to achieve this milestone.

"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," the MOH has urged in their 1pm statement.

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

Covid-19 was detected in wastewater samples taken on January 26 and 27 from Dannevirke, Kerikeri, Pukekohe, Paihia and Rawene.

There was also continued detection in samples taken over the same days from Ahipara, Kawakawa Bay, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Te Maunga (Mt Maunganui), Te Puke, Te Awamutu, Porirua, Moa Point in Wellington and Motueka.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 769 people in the Auckland region who are isolating at home, including 242 positive Covid-19 cases.

There are three new cases to report in Tairāwhiti today. All are connected to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton. All cases are being treated as if they are Omicron.

There are 11,811 total Covid-19 cases in current community outbreaks. A total of 8972 of those have been epidemiologically linked.

Of the eight new community cases in the Bay of Plenty today, five are in the Western Bay of Plenty, including one in Katikati. There are two cases in Katikati being treated as Omicron.

"Increased testing has been made available at the Katikati medical centre. Please check the Healthpoint website for further testing details," the MoH said.

Today's 1pm Covid-19 update comes as, people in the upper North Island escape Auckland and other cities for the long anniversary weekend.

Yesterday, a total of 105 new community cases of Covid-19 were reported, which accounts for both Omicron and Delta variants of the virus, as well as cases where the variant is not known.

The cases were located in Auckland, Waikato, Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hawke's Bay, MidCentral, Nelson Tasman and Canterbury. One case in Northland and one in Bay of Plenty would officially be added to today's case numbers.

Health officials confirmed earlier in the week that five people had tested positive for Covid-19, including one with Omicron, after attending Soundsplash, a Hamilton music festival. However, a teenager named Emma said that of her group of about 30 friends who went to the festival, she and 12 others had tested positive for the virus.

"I got tested just as like a precaution and then when mine came back positive, I told everyone to get tested," she told RNZ.

"Then everyone got tested and slowly the results have been coming back and it's been one out of every three has been positive."

So far, five people in Auckland who attended the festival has tested positive for Covid-19, with one confirmed as having Omicron.

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Experts now fear the popular music festival - which saw 8506 people gather on the outskirts of Hamilton from Friday to Sunday - has the makings of a super-spreader event and even accelerated the spread of Omicron across New Zealand.

Yesterday, the ministry warned that as New Zealand saw more Omicron cases, an increase in the total number of daily community cases was expected.

In the Bay of Plenty, eight of yesterdays Omicron cases are linked to an early childhood centre.

In the past 21 days, there have been 567 active community cases.

At least 90 per cent of residents in 17 DHB regions have now had two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with West Coast DHB the latest to reach the milestone.

Meanwhile, a new unlinked case in Palmerston North was announced yesterday. The ministry says this case is not linked to any previously reported cases in the region and investigations are continuing to determine any links to other cases.

Public health staff are also working to identify any close contacts to the case.