November 15 2021
Cabinet has agreed to move Waikato to alert level 2 from midnight tomorrow - and the rollout of booster vaccination shots will start from November 29.
There are 173 Covid-19 cases in the community today.
One hundred and sixty-three cases are in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two are in Northland, and one is in Lakes district.
There are 90 cases in hospital - 26 are in North Shore, 21 in Middlemore, 39 in Auckland, two inWaitākere and one each in Whangārei and Waikato.
Ministry of Health officials also say there is a new case in Wairarapa.
The positive case announced in Masterton today was found to be in the early course of their infection. Health officials are carrying out interviews with the person today to identify any close contacts and exposure events.
There two Northland cases are both in Kaitaia and linked to known cases.
In Northland, the Ministry said locations of interest "continue to be reported, and we do ask people in Northland to check the Ministry of Health's webpage".
"We're also encouraging anyone who visited Sacred Heart Dargaville church on November 7 between 9am and 10.30am to get tested today, and isolate at home until you receive a negative test result."
Testing is available in Dargaville today from 9am to 4pm at Dargaville Hospital.
Of the seven Waikato cases, three are from Ōtorohanga, two from Hamilton, one from Kawhia, and one from Huntly. Five of today's cases are linked. Interviews with the remaining two cases are continuing to determine any links to existing cases.
One of the unlinked cases is in Huntly and undergoes regular surveillance testing so isn't thought to explain the recent positive Covid-19 detection in wastewater in the area. However, interviews with the case today will also help discover any other potential cases in the area.
Meanwhile in Taranaki, there are no new cases today but testing levels were high over the weekend and public health staff are continuing to encourage anyone with Covid-19 related symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested.
All five close contacts of the Stratford cases have so far tested negative, and public health staff will be continuing to monitor close contacts and retest them if necessary.
The new case in Lakes district is based in Taupō, after two cases were announced yesterday.
The case is a household contact of a known case and is isolating at home.
Auckland rest home
One further resident of the Rosaria Rest Home in Avondale has tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of residents at the facility who have contracted the virus to four.
Auckland public health staff are supporting 4071 people to isolate at home, including 1893 cases.
Of today's 173 cases, 63 have been epidemiologically linked, leaving 110 still to be linked.
Fifty-two of yesterday's cases were infectious while in the community.
And 133 of yesterday's cases were in isolation throughout their infectious and have no exposure events.
Vax and hospitalisation
Of the people who have been in hospital with Delta, 114 or 66 per cent were unvaccinated or not eligible; partially vaccinated - less than 14 days - are 11 cases, or 6 per cent; 22 cases or 13 per cent were partially vaccinated while four cases were fully vaccinated for less than 14 days and four cases - or 2 per cent - are fully vaccinated. The vaccination status is unknown for the remaining 5 cases or 6 per cent.
The average of those currently in hospital is 50, and there are seven cases in either ICU or HDU.
Across the country, there have now been 7,211,963 vaccine doses given - 3,798,124, or 90 per cent, are first doses, while 81 per cent - or 3,413,839 people - have had their second dose.
For Maori, there are now 77 per cent - or 438,210 - who have had their first dose and 347,664 - or 61 per cent - have had their second jab.
Eighty-eight per cent - or 252,728 - of Pacific peoples have had their first dose, while 218,413, or 76 per cent, have had their second.
At the border, there has been a historical case identified. The traveller arrived on November 6 from England via Singapore. They tested positive on day 6 and are isolating in Christchurch.
Covid creeps across N Island
Delta is starting to spread across the North Island with confirmed cases in Taupō, Rotorua and Tararua districts emerging at the weekend.
There was also Covid detected in the wastewater in Bay of Plenty on Saturday night, however health officials believe it could be a recently recovered case shedding the virus.
It comes as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is set to front media at 4pm today in relation to any possible change to Waikato's alert level setting and an announcement on vaccination booster shots.
Meanwhile, a major change in MIQ has taken place, with the length of time international arrivals to New Zealand must spend in managed isolation now halved from 14 days to seven, followed by self-isolation until a negative day 9 test is received.
Joint head of MIQ Brigadier Rose King called the shortened stay a significant milestone in reconnecting the country with the world.
"MIQ has served New Zealand well, helping to bring over 190,000 people home. Since the very beginnings of MIQ, change has been a constant. This is the next stage of evolution for us.
"Yesterday was a really big day for the staff in our facilities, it was among the biggest changes we have put into place since MIQ began. Approximately 2500 people between day 7 and day 14 of their MIQ stay were eligible to leave – about eight times more than we would normally see depart each day."
Director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay said the public health risk of the shortened MIQ stay was low.
"With most people returning now reporting being fully vaccinated, the risk profile of international arrivals has changed. They're now considered at low risk of spreading Covid-19 and positive cases are mostly picked up within seven days of arriving in MIQ," McElnay said.
"As well as having a pre-departure test, international arrivals will be tested in MIQ on day 0/1, day 3, and day 5/6. They will also get a PCR test on day 9 of their self-isolation and must stay in self-isolation until a negative result comes back. This is compulsory and will be tracked through an automated system," McElnay said.
On top of yesterday's the record 207 cases, health officials confirmed the death of an Edmonton Meadows Care Home resident in North Shore Hospital.
The woman was aged in her 90s and as well as contracting Covid-19, had a number of underlying health conditions, according to officials.
After seven new cases across Waikato yesterday Ōtorohanga Mayor Max Baxter this morning said there were some "rather unwell people" getting tested at the weekend but he hoped it wouldn't affect the district's case numbers.
Of Waikato's cases, three were from Hamilton and two from Te Kuiti, with one each from Ōtorohanga and Ngāruawāhia.
Meanwhile 12 police staff are self-isolating after coming into contact with two people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Rotorua.
Two people in the Lakes District Health Board area had tested positive for the virus after a person sought care at Rotorua Hospital for a non-Covid health matter - and then returned a positive test result.
