Covid-19 coronavirus: Two new Covid cases in managed isolation

The Covid-19 vaccine will be given to border workers from Saturday of next week, PM Jacinda Ardern told reporters today.

There are two new Covid cases today, both travellers from Britain who are in managed isolation.

There are no new cases in the community, the Ministry of Health said.

One case arrived on January 26 from the UK and travelled via Singapore. They tested positive on about day 16.

The second case arrived on February 7 also from the UK and travelled via United Arab Emirates. They tested positive on day three.

Twelve previously reported cases have now recovered. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 44.

The country's total number of confirmed cases is 1970. The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,578,782.

On Thursday, 5089 tests were processed. The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday is 3868 tests processed.

There have been 28 historical cases, out of a total of 160 cases since January 1. These historical cases have all been previously reported, the ministry says.

The NZ Covid Tracer app now has 2,564,804 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 177,034,553 and users have created 7,219,060 manual diary entries.

The ministry's next update is planned for 1pm tomorrow.

Read More

• Covid 19 coronavirus vaccine: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - jabs begin for border staff next ...
• Covid-19 coronavirus: Third Melbourne lockdown? Crisis talks as cluster grows to 13 - NZ Herald
• Covid-19 coronavirus: US adds six new virus symptoms to guidelines - NZ Herald
• Covid 19 coronavirus: The six most pressing questions - NZ Herald

Earlier today Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed that New Zealand's frontline border workers will start to receive the first Covid-19 vaccinations from next Saturday.

From February 20, border and MIQ workers in Auckland will be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking to media in Auckland this morning, Ardern said it would take roughly two to three weeks for all 12,000 frontline workers to receive the jab.

After that rollout is complete, their family members will be offered the vaccination.

"Healthcare and essential workers and those most at risk from Covid-19 will follow in quarter two, before vaccination of the wider population in the second half of the year," Ardern said.

She added that it would take all year for the full vaccination programme to be rolled out in its entirety.

"This will be New Zealand's largest-ever vaccination campaign."

Today was the first time the Government has put any kind of timeline on the vaccine rollout.

Yesterday's sole new Covid case arrived on February 8 from the US. The infection was picked up as a result of day 0 testing.