There are 18 cases of COVID-19 in the community today - 13 in Auckland, three in Waikato, one in the Bay of Plenty and one in the Lakes district. Video / NZ Herald
There are 18 new community Covid cases in New Zealand today - and another death has been recorded.
A woman in her 70s who was infected with the virus died at Middlemore Hospital last night, the Ministry of Health says.
The family requested no further details be released.
Sixteen newcases have been identified at the border, including five with the Omicron variant.
This takes the country's total Omicron cases identified at the border to 54.
Fifty-four people are fighting Covid-19 in hospitals across Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua and Waikato. Eight people are being treated in an intensive care unit.
Of the new community cases, 13 are in Auckland, three are in Waikato, one is in the Bay of Plenty and one in the Lakes District.
Of the three new cases in Waikato, two are in Te Kūiti, and one is in Hamilton. Two are known contacts of a previous case and the third case is under investigation.
One new case reported in Tauranga today is a household contact of a previously reported case. They are in isolation, the ministry said.
Investigations are continuing into any "potential connections" to one new case detected in Rotorua.
More than 1530 people are now self-isolating at home in Auckland, including 422 infected people.
Another 66 cases are isolating at home in Waikato.
The 16 new cases identified at the border are returnees who have arrived from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Uganda between December 16 and Christmas Day.
More than 2300 booster shots were administered yesterday, along with 199 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 1559 second doses.
Ninety-four per cent of the eligible population have now received their first dose, and 91 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Waitematā District Health Board is only 125 first doses away from 90 per cent of its eligible Māori population receiving one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. It will be the eighth DHB to do so.
Of the nine DHBs with active cases, just four have 90 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated. Northland, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Taranaki, Tairāwhiti DHBs have not yet reached the milestone.
The number of people getting tested yesterday remained low because it was a statutory holiday, the ministry said.
There were just 7540 tests yesterday - 3617 of those in Auckland.
The ministry again reminded people they can get a test when on holiday, but they need to remain where they are until they receive a negative result and are feeling better.
"This applies as well to people who are vaccinated with even mild symptoms. For those away on holiday who test positive you will be contacted regarding your ongoing care," the ministry said.
Everyone who is eligible for a booster shot is being urged to get one, and holidaymakers are being reminded to wear a mask and maintain physical distance in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
No unexpected wastewater detections were reported today.
Yesterday, 34 community cases of the virus were reported with 21 in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in Bay of Plenty, three in Lakes and one new case in Canterbury.
Four cases of Omicron were detected at the border, taking the total number of cases of the highly infectious variant in MIQ facilities to 49.
As of yesterday, there were 41 people battling the virus in hospital, including eight people in intensive care units. Auckland's Middlemore Hospital had 21 patients, Auckland Hospital had 15 and Tauranga had five.
And the Herald reported this morning that, while many New Zealanders have flocked to holiday hotspots to enjoy the summer break, almost 1500 Aucklanders are having a much quieter end to the year while they self-isolate at home.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1495 people to isolate at home in the Supercity.
Among those self-isolating in Auckland, 418 are infected with the virus, the Ministry of Health said. A further 55 cases in Waikato are self-isolating.
People turned up at Auckland's Northcote Community Testing Centre on College Rd this morning to get a Covid-19 test. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Meanwhile, the Australian state of New South Wales reported its first Omicron-related death yesterday. The man was from western Sydney and in his 80s. He died at Westmead Hospital and was among three deaths recorded. The reports of the death came as the state recorded 6324 new cases.
