Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Six new cases in lower North Island, people urged to check locations of interest

The lower North Island has six new cases of Covid-19 – four in south Wairarapa and two in Lower Hutt.

The Ministry of Health reported the new cases on Thursday, saying all four of the Wairarapa cases are isolating in the same house and are linked to the two in the Hutt.

The Lower Hutt cases are from the same household and had recently been in Rotorua. Genome sequencing is underway to determine the source of the infection, and public health staff are working to determine any possible locations of interest.

New Zealanders are urged to keep checking the Ministry's locations of interest and follow any health advice issued if they have been in a location of interest.

The six new cases follow four cases being found in the Wellington region since the New Year – two were linked to the Hidden Valley Festival in Matakana, one to a drum and bass festival in Tauranga and the fourth to the Britomart Block Party on New Year's Eve in Auckland.

There were no new cases in Wellington on Thursday.

The Wellington region has a high vaccination rate with 95 per cent of Capital and Coast District Health Board fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

It is also expected to be the first DHB to reach 90 per cent fully vaccinated for Maori people – when clinics closed for the day yesterday they were just 32 doses off the mark.

It's expected this milestone will be reached later on Thursday.