Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: Whanganui DHB region records 202 new cases; Te Rito distributing thousands of RATS

Te Rito is now at 133 Wicksteed St. Photo / Bevan Conley

There were 202 new Covid-19 cases in the Whanganui DHB region on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health.

As at 11.59pm on Tuesday the region had 904 active cases, with 156 recovered.

There were 22,454 new community cases and four deaths across the country reported on Wednesday, with 742 people hospitalised including 19 in ICU.

The ministry said its daily reported case numbers may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level.

Isolation periods for Covid-19 cases and their household contacts will be reduced from 10 to seven days from midnight on Friday, March 11.

The Whanganui DHB said two people remained in hospital locally.

Current cases were in Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Ruapehu and South Taranaki.

The DHB's daily cases numbers now included those in South Taranaki, as its boundary extends up to the Pātea River.

A total of 42,000 RAT tests had been given out from the region's main vaccination centre Te Rito, the DHB said.

Te Rito moved from Victoria Ave to the former Ministry of Social Development premises in Wicksteed St on February 25.

The Whanganui DHB region is currently sitting at 90.7 per cent fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with 74.6 per cent of those eligible receiving a booster shot.