Covid-19 Omicron: Nelson Mayor calls for government to help cover event changes

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese on the Boulder Bank, Nelson, New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

Omicron has hit the South Island and the mayor in the region with nine new cases is calling for more Government support to help it weather the red traffic light setting.

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese says she doesn't think there would be any mayor in New Zealand that welcomes being in red, as it has a significant impact on their communities.

"When the government provided support for the events sector last year in terms of insurance cover, local government events were excluded and I think we need to have a conversation about that,'' she said.

"We were looking forward to some pretty significant events in our region this summer, one of our biggest events being Opera in the Park due in mid-February, and we start to think about these things that will not be able to happen.

"Given the fact that we are going around again with the potential for significant cancellations and financial losses, our sector just cannot keep absorbing those. We must have a conversation with the government on this topic.

"The capacity for local governments to absorb those sorts of losses... We are absolutely stretched. I am disappointed the government excluded us last year," she said.

There are at least 16 Omicron cases who have been outside in the community and the highly infectious variant of Covid-19 is now circulating in Auckland and possibly in the Nelson area, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

The most concerning group of Omicron cases – which have plunged the whole of New Zealand into the red traffic light setting from midnight tonight – are nine people in Motueka. Another person from the same household tested positive for Covid-19 late yesterday.

The nine people attended an Auckland wedding on January 13, and also attended a funeral, and went to an amusement park and the Sky Tower in the central city. Some of these events had well over 100 people, Ardern said this morning.

The group have been linked to an Air NZ flight and crew member who also tested positive to the virus.

It was initially thought the group caught Covid from the aircrew member, however it is now believed the aircrew member caught it from the group.

Reese says the message is really clear on how to best manage Omicron and that is to make sure that if you can get your booster, get down and do it as soon as possible.

"Anyone with symptoms needs to make sure they get good health advice and get tested.

"I totally respect that we have to work to manage Omicron to minimise the health impacts. At the same time, I am really conscious that we have sectors like the events sectors who have been hanging on by their fingernails and I think we really need to think quite seriously about the business support they will need to get through this."

There are eight people in hospital, including four in North Shore, three in Auckland and one in Middlemore.