Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Four new Omicron cases in Tauranga, seven new non-Omicron cases in Rotorua

Four new cases of Covid-19 in Tauranga are being treated as Omicron.

One is in the same household as the city's first two reported cases linked to the January cluster and have now been confirmed as having the variant via whole-genome sequencing.

The other three are linked to the early childhood centre BestStart Pyes Pa. These three cases will be included officially in tomorrow's numbers.

Two new cases are being reported in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and are not listed as Omicron. They are being investigated for links to previously reported cases.

There are also seven new cases in Rotorua today, not listed as Omicron.

Six are household contacts of previously reported cases, and one remains under investigation.

There are 45 cases in New Zealand with five in hospital, including one in ICU or HDU in Rotorua Hospital.

KFC, gym linked to Omicron cases

KFC Cameron Rd has been linked to a probable Omicron case while the CityFitness Fraser Cove is linked to a suspected Omicron case.

Health authorities said the locations are "high-risk."

Tthe KFC case was at the location last week on Thursday, January 20, between 5pm and 10.16pm.

Anyone who was there at the time is told to self-isolate and get tested immediately and again on day five after being exposed.

If symptoms start to show, they should get tested immediately.

"Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health," the ministry said.

CityFitness is linked to a suspected Omicron case with an exposure date of January 25 between 10am and 12pm.

Anyone who was there at the time is told to self-isolate and get tested immediately and again on day five after being exposed.

Child at Rotorua daycare tests positive

BestStart Daycare has confirmed a child at their Pukuatua St daycare in Rotorua has tested positive for Covid-19.

BestStart deputy chief executive Fiona Hughes said there was a case, and it was a child. The centre was closed on Monday and remained closed.

Read more here.

Children and Covid - a paediatrician's advice

Dr. Jin Russell, an Auckland paediatrician, said the majority of children experience Covid-19 similarly to a cold and many would have no symptoms at all.

"Covid-19 is a much less severe illness in children," she said.

"For the most part, the illness can be managed at home."

She said the Omicron variant manifested in children similarly to "other common respiratory viruses in childhood."

"It looks as though Omicron is less severe for children in general than RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], which went around our daycares last year.

"This is not to minimise the impact of any of these illnesses, but just to give parents a sense of what to expect."

She said daycares were places with lots of physical contact, so it was important for adults to be fully vaccinated and boosted, for spaces to have good ventilation, and for parents to keep sick children home.

"Sometimes children are sent to daycare and they've got a little bit of a runny nose – we really can't do that anymore [with Omicron]."

She is said children with the virus who have trouble breathing, unable to keep their fluids down, or going to the bathroom abnormally, should be taken to a GP to be checked.

Dr. Russell said children under 5 are capable of understanding the importance of Covid-19 prevention, including wearing masks.

"I think children are really resilient when you give them good reasons. They're also often very motivated to help other people."

She said parents should give simple, common sense directions.

There are several new locations of interest for the region

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