Covid 19 Delta outbreak: 14 community cases, 9 in MIQ, 34 people with virus in hospital

There are just 14 community cases today and nine new cases of Covid-19 at the border.

"The low number of cases reported today is welcome news, particularly with increasing testing numbers. We thank New Zealanders for the care they have taken over the holiday period while travelling across the country and connecting with friends and family," the Ministry of Health said today.

New Zealand currently appears to be winning the battle against the Delta variant, with just two of the 34 people in hospital in an intensive care unit.

The new community cases are in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and Wellington.

Two cases have popped up in Canterbury. These cases were notified after the daily cut-off time and will be officially be added to tomorrow's numbers.

The Canterbury cases, one of which is in South Canterbury, remain under investigation but shared a location of interest with a previously reported case.

There are two new cases in the Waikato today, with one unlinked to a previously reported case. One is from Coromandel and one is from Te Aroha.

In the Waikato, 32 infected people are isolating at home.

One new case has been linked to the Hidden Valley Festival in Matakana, north of Auckland. They tested positive in Wellington and investigations were ongoing.

There are two new cases to report in Northland, one of which was announced yesterday.
The new case is in Whangārei, with investigations into links to previously reported cases ongoing.

Of those in hospital, four are at North Shore, 12 are at Auckland City, 13 are at Middlemore, four are at Tauranga and one is at Waikato.

The latest case numbers are low despite an increase in rates of testing - with 14,705 tests in the last 24 hours, of which 6,761 were in Auckland.

The rolling seven-day average for tests is now 13,209 - up 2000 from this time one week ago following the expected dip over New Years.

The blue line depicts the seven-day rolling average of testing numbers, which have picked up after a drop over the holiday period - yet community Covid cases are still low. Graph / Ministry of Health

As of today, 548,733 booster doses have been administered, with 47,796 given yesterday.

Across the country, 95 per cent of eligible people have received at least their first dose of the Covid vaccine and 92 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Māori are edging closer to the 90 per cent mark, with 88 per cent with at least their first jab and 82 per cent fully vaccinated.

Of eligible Pacific peoples, 95 per cent had received their first dose and 92 per cent were fully vaccinated.

In the past 24 hours, 47,796 booster doses were given, a record to date.

Experts have warned it's a matter of time before the more transmissible Omicron variant leaks out into the community, causing an intense outbreak like those seen overseas.

They are urging people to get booster shots before that happens, with the interval before people are eligible for a booster reduced from six months to four.

The Ministry of Health said yesterday that a total of 500,000 booster shots had already been administered nationwide, while 95 per cent of eligible people had had one dose of the vaccine and 92 per cent were double-jabbed.

The looming Omicron threat has also led one epidemiologist to warn that the Government should delay schools reopening until enough children have been vaccinated.

Kids aged 5-11 can be vaccinated from January 17, with more than half a million paediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine arriving in the country on the weekend. Around 476,000 children will be eligible but it will be up to parents or caregivers to consent for them to get the jab.

Meanwhile the new community cases of Delta have been popping up further afield as people travel around the country for holidays and festivals.

Last night an Auckland music festival was named as a location of interest, with a person testing positive after attending the Golden Lights event at the Trusts Arena on January 7.

Those at the festival between 1.30pm and 10.45pm were urged to self-monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop.

And a fresh Covid case in Wellington was linked to Auckland's Britomart Block Party which was held on New Year's Eve.

People who attended a drum and bass festival held at Wharepai Domain in Mount Maunganui on January 3 had also earlier been told to isolate and get tested, after an attendee tested positive for Covid.

But that risk has been downgraded and they are now being told just to monitor for symptoms.

Other new locations of interest include the Shotover Jet in Queenstown with passengers who took a ride on January 2 warned they are now considered close contacts of a case.