Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: two new cases in Hawke's Bay

Rows on a Napier to Auckland flight have been deemed close contacts. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay had two new Covid-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of active cases in the community to 28.

It is understood that one of the cases is a staff member at Colwyn House Lifecare, Hastings, and both cases are linked to a previously established Delta case.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health announced 91 new cases of Covid cases in the community - and 39 in MIQ.

Ten people were in hospital with the virus, the average age of patients being 54.

MOH also announced several passenger rows on an Air NZ flight as Covid 19 contact tracing locations of interest.

Passengers seated in rows 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 on the January 25 NZ5008 Napier to Auckland flight are considered close contacts of a Covid case.

The flight was from 9:55am to 11am.

MOH is advising those passengers to self-isolate, and test immediately as well as on day five after they were exposed.

On Sunday, the Hawke's Bay DHB asked for community help to identify close contacts from two exposure events (InterCity bus trips) linked to a positive case of Covid identified in Palmerston North who had contact with confirmed cases of Omicron outside of the region.

The buses include people who have disembarked in multiple towns including Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay, as well as the Gisborne area, Mid Central area and down to Wellington.

The first bus trip was the InterCity IC6965 bus from Gisborne to Napier, which departed Gisborne at 9.30am on January 28 and arrived in Napier at 1pm on the same day.

The second bus is the InterCity IC6367 bus from Napier to Wellington, which departed Napier at 1.50pm on January 28 and arrived in Wellington at 7.45pm on the same day.

Although the case disembarked in Palmerston North, where they later tested positive for Covid, the entire trip is considered to be a Location of Interest and all passengers are close contacts.

Anyone who was on either of these buses should self-identify as a close contact by calling the COVID-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or register at https://bit.ly/RegisterLOI, and stay at home and get tested as soon as possible.

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