There are 206 new cases in the community on Saturday.
They follow 163 community cases on Friday, with 159 in Auckland and four in Waikato. There were 69 people recorded as being in hospital.
COVID-19 was also found to be in wastewater samples taken in the Taranaki town of Stratford and in Napier and Gisborne. Investigations into what may have led to this are underway while locals are being urged to get tested if they have symptoms.
What you need to know:
- There are 206 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday - 200 in Auckland, four in Waikato, and two in Northland. An additional Northland case was announced in the afternoon
- Attendees of a Porirua tangi are being asked to get tested after a case travelled from Auckland to Porirua
- It emerged on Friday that a second person in self-quarantine has died from COVID-19 at home. This follows a case earlier this week
- The Government is yet to make any decisions on how travel across the Auckland border will work over Christmas as the holidary period quickly approaches
- COVID-19 has been detected in wastewater in the Taranaki town of Stratford as well as in Gisborne and Napier, where there are no MIQ facilities or known cases isolating
- Click here for all the locations of interest.
These live updates have finished.
2:44pm - One new case of COVID-19 has been reported in Northland on Saturday - the third since yesterday afternoon.
The Northland DHB says the case is linked to the Kaitaia cluster and is a close contact of a person from that group.
All active cases are isolating and recovering at home, with wrap-around support from the DHB, including medical, wellbeing and social services.
Interviews by Public Health have determined that there are no new locations of interest in connection with any of the three cases. Northland DHB is grateful to these people who have isolated since being notified that they were close contacts.
"This is extremely helpful in helping us to minimise the spread of the current outbreak. To help us further, we need people to get tested if they have symptoms, and to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their community," said Northland DHB Incident Controller Sarah Hoyle.
Those who live in or around Taipa, Kaingaroa, Awanui and Kaitaia and have had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last couple of weeks, are encouraged to get tested as soon as possible. There are Community Testing Centres and vaccination clinics open this weekend and a list of locations and opening hours can be found on the Northland DHB website: northlanddhb.org.nz.
2:25pm - Here are details about the latest vaccine figures from the Ministry of Health:
There were 27,892 first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses administered yesterday, made up of 6,442 first doses and 21,470 second doses. To date, 89 percent of New Zealanders have had their first dose and 78 percent are fully vaccinated.
The 206 community cases numbers reported today are a reminder of the infectiousness of COVID-19, and particularly the Delta variant, and the importance of vaccination as the number one protection against the virus.
We have now administered more than 7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. This is an important milestone as we push towards our target of getting 90% of eligible people in each DHB fully vaccinated. Auckland DHB only needs 15,284 more people to get their second shot to reach their 90% fully vaccinated target.
It’s three weeks today since Super Saturday so it’s time for people who were vaccinated then to get their second shot. There are some great events on around the motu this weekend, such as Auckland’s GotYaDot vaccine event at Eden Park and the Ethkick event targeting ethnic communities in the Bay of Plenty today.
We urge anyone over 12 who hasn’t yet been vaccinated or have received their first dose at least three weeks ago to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated – it’s never been easier.
2:10pm - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the jump to 206 new cases is not unexpected and in line with the R value.
"It is still absolutely within the ranges we were presented," Ardern says.
Hospitalisations are up to 73, but Ardern says there is still capacity.
Anyone in Tairawhiti with symptoms should get tested, she says. That comes after positive wastewater results in the DHB on Friday. It has very low vaccination rates compared to the rest of the country.
Ardern says the Government does want people to travel out of Auckland for Christmas. The question is how to manage the demand of potentially up to 40,000 people wanting to travel, she says. They want to find a "smooth" process, but won't rule out the idea of time slots.
1:55pm - A National MP says an email circulating online in which he appears to express anti-vaccination views was the result of misreading a question, and he's "not someone who holds anti-vax views".
Mark Mitchell told Newshub as an MP, he deals "with large amounts of correspondence from a broad range of individuals and organisations".
"Often this correspondence is in relation to portfolio areas an MP may not be directly involved in and may promote views we do not necessarily agree with or endorse.
"National has made its position on vaccination and vaccination mandates very clear. The answer in which I said that National completely agreed with the statement was based on an incorrect interpretation of the question. This is not my view, nor that of National."
1:45pm - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just spoken at the Labour Party conference. COVID-19 was unsurprisingly a major theme. Here is an excerpt from her speech on that:
"From the day COVID arrived on our shores everything we have done has been about protecting New Zealanders lives and livelihoods.
"Collectively we have seen fewer cases, hospitalisations and deaths than any other country in the OECD.
"We have also seen an economy that has done more than survive, but in fact has grown and kept people in jobs; just this week delivering the lowest unemployment on record.
"But none of that is to say that it has been without cost. It has had a huge toll on people and businesses, especially in recent months. But I know that we have it in us to continue to move forward through this tough transition, into a new phase.
"And so to all of New Zealand, but especially Auckland I say - he rā ki tua, better times are coming.
"Over the coming weeks, we will see the level of protection in our communities increase as more people are vaccinated. In fact we’re on track to have amongst the highest vaccination rates in the world, already having overtaken the likes of Australia the US, the UK, France, Germany and Ireland.
"And that brings with it the opportunity to transition to the new COVID protection framework. That new system, will mean more certainty for businesses that they can stay open. It will mean that not every COVID case will trigger the anxiety of sudden lock downs, but it will also mean that we continue to treat COVID seriously and take measures to protect people from it.
"It is a plan firmly rooted in a view that we can carve our own path, and our own response. One that is right for New Zealand and our people.
"Once these changes are bedded in, they then gives us the chance to change some of our other settings, in a careful and considered way. We will look to our international borders, using home isolation as a way to reunite more kiwis with their loved ones, taking pressure off MIQ.
"Over time, we’ll then have the chance to open up more broadly, and welcome back those we have been so used to sharing our hospitality and nation with.
"Life may be different for a time. But it can and will feel more familiar again. And after so much disruption, so much anxiety, everyone deserves that.
"And so in the meantime, we continue to be steadfast in our response, which has begun to tilt towards vaccination over restriction.
"Because we’re a Labour Government, we will focus on our most vulnerable and also accelerate Maōri vaccination rates. We will protect our health system. We will keep adapting and evolving but we will always first and foremost protect lives and livelihoods.
"That is the measure of good government. And it’s a measure of a Labour Government."
1:35pm - Here are more details from the Ministry of Health:
Wastewater
Following the positive wastewater detections in Stratford, Gisborne and Napier, further samples will be collected over the next few days with results expected next week.
At this stage, the detections are not linked to any known cases of COVID-19 which could indicate that there are undetected cases in these communities.
We are asking anyone with any symptoms in these places – no matter how mild – to get tested, especially anyone who has travelled outside of these regions recently.
Testing is available at the following locations this weekend:
Stratford: The War Memorial car park, 55 Miranda Street (10am to 2pm)
Gisborne: 110 Peel Street (9am to 5pm)
Napier: 30 Munroe Street (9am-5pm)
If you live in Stratford, Gisborne or Napier and haven’t been vaccinated, today is a good opportunity to do so. For a full list of testing and vaccination centres, see the Healthpoint website.
Porirua tangi
Wellington Regional Public Health are encouraging those involved in a tangi in Porirua on Wednesday this week to get tested for COVID-19.
Their assessment is that the risks to wider public are low following reports of a person who had tested positive in Auckland last month and who travelled from Auckland to Porirua. They are assessed as unlikely to have been infectious as they travelled at the very end of their 14 day quarantine period.
However, in the absence of fuller information, they are recommending those linked with the tangi to be tested, particularly if they have symptoms.
The Ministry of Health is seeking more information to provide further reassurance that the case was not an infection risk while visiting the area.
Waikato update
There were four new cases confirmed in Waikato overnight, all from Hamilton. Two were known contacts already in isolation and Public Health will today investigate links for the other two cases.
One COVID-19 patient who had been staying at Waikato Hospital was discharged yesterday. Two new patients were admitted overnight. This change will be reflected in tomorrow’s figures.
Today there are eight pop-up and dedicated testing sites operating across Hamilton, Huntly, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, and Thames. We are encouraging anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to seek a test.
Three new locations of interest were identified yesterday in Te Awamutu and Hamilton.
There were 1,923 tests processed in Waikato yesterday and 2,912 vaccinations delivered.
Northland update
There are two new community cases confirmed in Northland, taking the total number of cases in the region to 17. They are both close contacts of cases in Kaitaia and have been isolating at home.
Today there are six community testing centres and nine vaccination clinics available across the region.
We are continuing to encourage those who live in or around Taipa, Kaingaroa, Awanui and Kaitaia and have had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last couple of weeks, to get tested as soon as possible. Testing centre locations can be found on the Northland DHB website.
There were 1,105 tests taken across Northland yesterday and 1,129 vaccinations were given, including 337 first doses.
Auckland update
There were 13,056 tests taken across Auckland yesterday.
There are 17 community testing centres available across Auckland today. For up-to-date information on testing locations in Auckland, visit Auckland Regional Public Health Service.
In Auckland, public health officials are now supporting 826 cases to isolate at home.
1:30pm - There are 206 cases in the community, with 200 in Auckland, four in Waikato and two in Northland.
| COVID-19 vaccine update | |
| Total first and second vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people) | 7,007,962; 1st doses: 3,744,702 (89%); 2nd doses: 3,263,260 (78%) |
| Total first and second vaccines administered yesterday | 27,892; 1st doses: 6,422; 2nd doses: 21,470 |
| Māori (percentage of eligible people) | 1st doses: 420,885 (74%); 2nd doses: 318,068 (56%) |
| Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people) | 1st doses: 247,100 (86%); 2nd doses: 203,888 (71%) |
| Total first and second vaccines administered to Auckland residents yesterday | 8,563: 1,721 first doses; 6,842 second doses |
| Vaccination rates by DHB (with active cases) | |
| Northland DHB (percentage of eligible people | 129,907 first doses (81%); 108,668 (67%) |
| Auckland metro DHBs (percentage of eligible people | 1,316,630 first doses (92%); 1,183,808 second doses (83%) |
| Waikato DHB (percentage of eligible people | 313,302 first doses (88%); 268,235 second doses (75%) |
| Canterbury DHB (percentage of eligible people | 445,643 first doses (92%); 373,504 second doses (77%) |
| Hospitalisations | |
| Cases in hospital | 73 (total, up from 69 yesterday): Waitematâ (25); Middlemore (21); Auckland (26); Waikato (1); |
| Average age of current hospitalisations | 51 |
| Cases in ICU or HDU | Seven |
| Cases | |
| Number of new community cases | 206 |
| Number of new cases identified at the border | 1 |
| Location of new community cases | Auckland (200), Waikato (4) Northland (2) |
| Location of community cases (total) | Auckland 4,047 (1,664 of whom have recovered); Waikato 154 (67 of whom have recovered); Wellington 17 (all of whom have recovered); Northland 17 (6 of whom have recovered); Nelson/Marlborough 1 (recovered); Canterbury 4 (all active) |
| Number of community cases (total) | 4,240 (in current community outbreak) |
| Confirmed cases (total) | 6,981 |
| Historical cases | 185 out of 5,168 cases since 1 January |
| Cases infectious in the community | 41 of 161 cases reported yesterday have exposure events |
| Cases in isolation throughout the period they were infectious | 120 of 161 cases reported yesterday have no exposure events |
| Cases epidemiologically linked* | 47 of today’s 206 cases |
| Cases to be epidemiologically linked* | 159 of today’s 206 cases |
| Cases epidemiologically linked (total) | 3,394 (in the current cluster) (623 unlinked from the past 14 days) |
| Contacts | |
| Number of active contacts being managed (total): | 3,895 |
| Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements) | 74% |
| Percentage who have returned at least one result | 72% |
| Locations of interest | |
| Locations of interest (total) | 267 (as at 10am 6 November) |
| Tests | |
| Number of tests (total) | 4,251,191 |
| Number of tests total (last 24 hours) | 27,586 |
| Tests processed in Auckland (last 24 hours) | 13,056 |
| Tests rolling average (last 7 days) | 26,366 |
| Testing centres in Auckland | 17 |
| Wastewater | |
| Wastewater detections | See below |
| NZ COVID Tracer | |
| Registered users (total) | 3,347,558 |
| Poster scans (total) | 482,434,785 |
| Manual diary entries (total) | 19,655,313 |
| Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday | 2,498,274 |
1:20pm - We're yet to receive the latest COVID figures from the Ministry of Health. We will post them as soon as we get them.
1:05pm - 1News reports that a close contact of a COVID-19 case allegedly escaped an Auckland MIQ facility on Saturday morning. They allegedly left the Holiday Inn at 6:50am, but were found by police about 20 minutes later and taken back.
12:55pm - People are lining up at Auckland's Eden Park stadium where a vaccination clinic can be found on Saturday.
"There are some great events on around the motu this weekend, such as Auckland’s GotYaDot where you can get dotted (vaccinated) at Eden Park and experience the players’ tunnel and team changing room," the Ministry of Health says. "Those who are vaccinated will get their names up on the big screen that normally celebrates tries at the iconic rugby field."
A small number of protesters have assembled nearby. Some appear to be pro-vaccination and others anti-vaccination.
12:45pm - Kia ora, and welcome to Newshub's live updates for Saturday afternoon.
We will bring you the latest COVID-19 case and vaccine figures as soon as they hit our inbox from the Ministry of Health. That should be around 1pm or shortly afterwards.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was pushed on how the Auckland border system may work over the Christmas and summer period. She wouldn't rule out the idea posed by Chris Hipkins this week of time slots for Aucklanders to leave, but that's been called impractical by Grant Robertson. No decisions have yet been made, she said.
"Here's the simple issue that we have," Ardern told Newshub Nation host Tova O'Brien. "We are all totally committed to ensuring - and this is a bottom line for us - Aucklanders need to be able to move around for summer and for Christmas. So then the question becomes, how do you do that in the safest way possible?"
She said the obvious options - vaccine certificates and testing - all require a hard border.
"We've tended to use [borders] for short periods of time and for small numbers of people. We've got to find something workable. Here's the challenge though - 30,000 to 40,000 people needing to move all at once.
"So we've just got to figure out a way to make sure that people aren't stuck in queues for long periods of time. No decisions have been taken, no decisions. But that's the dilemma… We want to make it as smooth as we can. But one thing I will say to Aucklanders is we are not going to keep you trapped over Christmas. We can't, we won't, it's not right, but we have to find a way that we can continue to keep people safe."
