Ninety people are now either infected with the Omicron variant or are suspected of carrying the highly infectious strain due to a link to a confirmed case.
Thirty-four new cases of the variant, spanning Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Nelson-Tasman, have been recorded on Thursday.
The variant of COVID-19, which produces less severe illness but is incredibly transmissible, found a foothold in the community over the weekend when nine people tested positive for the virus in Motueka. The family had travelled to Auckland the weekend prior for a wedding and other events.
The January Omicron Cluster, which currently spans Auckland, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Taranaki and Nelson-Tasman, is projected to increase to possibly tens of thousands of cases, with experts warning the strain could infect half of the population in a matter of months.
What you need to know
- All of New Zealand is currently under the red setting of the COVID-19 Protection Framework, which was reinstated at 11:59pm on Sunday
- Thirty-four new cases of the Omicron variant have been reported on Thursday - 90 people are now either confirmed or suspected cases
- Forty-five new community cases of the virus have been recorded on Thursday - Auckland (22), Waikato (2), Bay of Plenty (3), Lakes (7), Taranaki (1), Hawke's Bay (8), Nelson-Marlborough (2)
- Five people have tested positive for the virus in Auckland after attending Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton last weekend - one is confirmed to be infected with Omicron
- No index case has been identified at this stage - the source of Omicron's emergence in the community remains a mystery
- Stricter mask requirements have been announced while the country is in red, including medical masks for mandated workers and face-fitting masks in indoor settings, rather than makeshift coverings
- Opposition parties have accused the "scrambling" Govt of "commandeering" RATs from the private sector
- The Government's three-phase plan for managing Omicron has been revealed
- New modelling predicts 80,000 new infections a day at the peak of New Zealand's outbreak.
These live updates have finished.
6pm - It's time for Newshub Live at 6pm for the latest on the COVID-19 outbreak. Click here to watch online or tune in on Three.
5:40pm - Health inequities are not new and have played out again throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, says the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners.
They found that analysis of New Zealand's earlier COVID-19 outbreaks showed clear and predictable inequities, such as Māori being 2.5 times more likely to require hospitalisations for COVID-19 infection compared to non-Māori and non-Pacific people.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners says the new plan does not have specific detail to show how this will change with the Omicron outbreak.
"We have general practitioners and their teams that have been in the thick of the Delta outbreak and know what is needed," says College president Dr Samantha Murton.
"With an Omicron outbreak GPs and their teams across the country will once again be stepping up and filling the gaps to ensure their communities are as safe as possible. A focus on Māori is essential and needs to be across all practices to reach all Māori. Learning from what has gone before and factoring those lessons into any plan or strategy is essential."
Chair of the College’s specialist Māori representative group, Te Akoranga a Māui, Dr Rachel Mackie says, equity is a major health concern but they are once again seeing a plan that "doesn’t consider Māori".
"There are many Māori teams and groups who have been working hard through COVID-19 and their knowledge needs to be fed into these plans every step of the way."
Vaccination and booster rates are also lagging, they say, and need to be a focus of attention across the motu.
5:10pm - There are five new locations of interest. They are:
- Foodcourt Westfield Albany, January 19 from 11am to 6pm
- Foodcourt Westfield Albany, January 20 from 11am to 8pm
- Wainui Marae Kaeo, January 21 from 11am to 3pm
- Bowl and Social SkyCity Hamilton, January 22 from 7:40pm to 9:30pm
- Christchurch Airport, January 24 from 5pm to 5:30pm.
4:55pm - Over in Australia, New South Wales has recorded 17,316 new cases and 29 deaths in the past 24 hours.
There are 2722 people in hospital, 181 of whom are in ICU.
In Victoria, there are 13,755 new cases and 15 deaths.
A total 1057 people are in hospital, including 117 in ICU, 40 of whom are on ventilators.
And in Queensland, there are 11,600 new cases and 15 deaths.
There are 829 people in hospital, 48 of whom are in ICU.
4:35pm - WorkSafe has issued COVID-19 infringements to six businesses. These are:
Damned Fine Food Limited (also known as Lone Star New Lynn) - infringement notices issued on January 21
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC
- $12,000 - Allowing affected persons to carry out work or otherwise conduct an activity at a place when aware that the affected person/s was not vaccinated.
Hammerhead Tattoos Limited - infringement notices issued on January 19
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC
- $4000 - Not displaying, in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the premises, a sign indicating whether the premises are operating under CVC or non-CVC rules
- $4000 - Not having QR code signage in prominent place
- $4000 - Failure to ensure an alternative contact record system and process is in place to enable a contact record to be kept of all persons aged 12 years or older entering the workplace.
Lotus-Heart - infringement notices issued on December 24 and January 25
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC (Dec 24)
- $4000 - Not displaying, in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the premises, a sign indicating whether the premises are operating under CVC or non-CVC rules (Dec 24)
- $4000 – Not ensuring that a copy of a QR code for the workplace is displayed in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the workplace (Dec 24)
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC (Jan 25)
- $4000 - Not displaying, in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the premises, a sign indicating whether the premises are operating under CVC or non-CVC rules (Jan 25)
- $4000 – Not ensuring that a copy of a QR code for the workplace is displayed in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the workplace (Jan 25)
- $4000 – Not ensuring that one or more copies of a QR code for the workplace are displayed in a prominent place (or places) within the workplace (Jan 25)
My Barber Limited - infringement notices issued on January 11
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC
- $4000 - Not displaying, in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the premises, a sign indicating whether the premises are operating under CVC or non-CVC rules.
Oliver MMA Limited - Infringement notices issued on December 20, January 12, and January 21
- $12,000 - Allowing affected persons to carry out work or otherwise conduct an activity at a place when aware that the affected person/s was not vaccinated (Dec 20)
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC (Jan 12)
- $12,000 - Allowing affected persons to carry out work or otherwise conduct an activity at a place when aware that the affected person/s was not vaccinated (Jan 21).
Saint Sebastian Restaurant - infringement notices issued on January 14
- $12,000 - Not having effective systems and processes in place to check that each person who is at the premises is carrying a CVC
- $4000 - Not displaying, in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of the premises, a sign indicating whether the premises are operating under CVC or non-CVC rules.
4:10pm - There are eight new locations of interest. They are:
- Fresho Mount Roskill, January 21 from 12pm to 6pm
- Fresho Mount Roskill, January 22 from 8am to 12pm
- Westlake Girls Uniform Shop Wairau Valley, January 22 from 11:12am to 12:15pm
- Paasha Cafe & Mezze Bar Hamilton, January 22 from 9pm to 10pm
- Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib Papakura, January 23 from 10:30am to 12pm
- Countdown Pukekohe, January 23 from 4pm to 8pm
- Christchurch Airport, January 24 from 9:10am to 9:40am
- McDonald's Karaka, January 24 from 3:30pm to 4pm.
3:55pm - There are four DHBs yet to reach the 90 percent double vaccinated target. These are:
- Northland: 86 percent of eligible population fully vaccinated, 5822 people remaining to hit target
- Tairāwhiti: 89 percent fully vaccinated, 480 people remaining
- Whanganui: 89 percent fully vaccinated, 412 people remaining
- West Coast: 89 percent fully vaccinated, 21 people remaining.
Northland is still yet to hit 90 percent first doses. It has given 89 percent percent of its eligible residents first doses, with 740 people remaining to hit this goal.
Click here for more details on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
3:30pm - Samoa's Government has confirmed one new positive coronavirus case, taking the total to 27.
The positive is a passenger from last week's flight from Brisbane.
As with the 26 other positive cases, he is also asymptomatic.
All of the 27 positive cases, passengers and frontliners in isolation are asymptomatic and remain in Isolation.
The Samoa Government has extended the nationwide lockdown for a further 24 hours until Friday. The lockdown was to end at 6pm on Thursday.
3:10pm - There are five new locations of interest. They are:
- Satya Chai Lounge Sandringham, January 23 from 2:30pm to 4pm
- Countdown Pukekohe, January 23 from 4pm to 8pm
- CityFitness Fraser Cove, January 24 from 10am to 12pm
- Countdown Pukekohe, January 24 from 4pm to 8pm
- Rebel Sports Manukau Supa Centre, January 24 from 4:30pm to 4:45pm.
2:50pm - A shopper is calling out an online retailer for a 170 percent rise in the price of certain face masks, referring to the price hikes as "crazy".
It comes as the Government toughens up on face mask restrictions amid the Omicron outbreak. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a new set of rules under the red 'traffic light' setting, which will apply from 11:59pm on February 3.
Under the new rules, face coverings have to be an "actual mask" - bandannas and other makeshift masks, such as scarves or T-shirts pulled over the face, don't make the cut. Workers who are legally mandated to be vaccinated must wear a "medical-grade mask", Jacinda Ardern said. Examples are a "type 2R" or "level 2 mask" or above, or a "blue medical grade mask", while working in public-facing roles.
National Express Products (NXP) is an online retailer selling office and consumer products, including a wide range of face masks. An invoice supplied to Stuff by an NXP customer shows the price for a box of 50 Duckbill P2 respirator masks was $39.99 plus GST on January 7.
On Wednesday, January 26, the advertised price for the same box of face masks was $75 plus GST - an 87 percent increase.
By Thursday morning, the price had risen to $108 per box - an increase of 44 percent, before dropping to $98 on Thursday afternoon.
Over the course of three weeks, the customer pointed out that the price of the same box of face masks had gone up by 170 percent.
2:40pm - The director of a company importing rapid antigen tests (RATs) is calling on the Government to give businesses more of a role in providing supply.
InScience director Ann-Louise Anderson said the company is having trouble filling customers' orders now the Government has told suppliers it wants priority.
"I've got back orders and forward orders sitting there, and people desperate to get their product for their continued surveillance programmes. These people have been doing surveillance programmes to try and protect their businesses and workers for at least a month now," Anderson said.
"They just can't continue, and I can't continue."
The Government has 14 million RATs arriving in a month, but private businesses which also pre-ordered tests now face delays in getting their own supplies.
Anderson questioned why the Government did not stockpile more tests earlier.
"I personally feel it's been a lack of planning because I've been able to get this product for the last two or three months if I'd wanted it. Why have they not been stockpiling it during that time?"
She said she has been able to get hundreds of thousands of tests and New Zealand could secure more if authorities approved more brands.
"These products that pass other jurisdictions are well tested. We would be able to get even more product."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said approvals for tests made by different manufacturers are "being expedited".
2:20pm - Investigations are underway for the two most recently confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nelson-Tasman.
The two cases are being treated as the Omicron variant, with the investigations aiming to determine possible links to other cases and exposure events. There are now a total of 15 active cases (14 confirmed and one probable) in the region across three households.
Nelson-Marlborough Health chief executive Lexie O'Shea said the cases have been driving demand for testing and vaccination. More than 1700 people across Nelson-Tasman have been tested for the virus since the first case was announced last Friday.
On Tuesday, 2957 vaccinations were administered across Nelson-Marlborough - 2260 adult doses and 533 paediatric doses. Ninety percent of the region's eligible Māori population have now received their first dose and 85 percent are fully vaccinated.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Stephen Bridgman said he is grateful the households came forward for testing.
"It is never easy finding out you are a positive case. People are concerned not only for their own health but worry about any exposure to their families and communities."
He said widespread testing of people with symptoms across Nelson-Marlborough is needed in order to determine if there is undetected transmission in the community. Anyone with symptoms - no matter how mild - is asked to get tested, even if they're fully vaccinated.
Community-based assessment centres (CBACs) remain active in Motueka and Nelson. Testing is also available from primary care, after-hours medical centres or iwi health providers, with people required to phone ahead. The locations and opening hours of testing centres can be found on the Healthpoint website.
Locations of community-based testing stations
Nelson: Saxton Field parking area, Suffolk Rd, Stoke - Monday - Sunday: 9am - 6pm
Motueka: Motueka Recreation Centre, Old Wharf Rd - Monday - Sunday: 9am - 5pm (until 4 February)
- RNZ
2:05pm - A new high-risk location of interest has been linked to a suspected case of the Omicron variant.
Anyone who attended CityFitness Fraser Cove, a gym in Tauranga South, between 10am and 12pm on Tuesday, January 25 are asked to self-isolate and get tested immediately.
Close contact: CityFitness Fraser Cove
- 249 Fraser Street, Tauranga South, Tauranga 3112
- Tuesday, January 25, 10am - 12pm
- This exposure is linked to a suspected Omicron case. Self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so our contact tracers can get in touch.
A new high-risk location of interest has also been identified in Auckland but has not yet been linked to an Omicron case.
Close contact: Chamate Restaurant Auckland Central
- 17 Swanson Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010
- Thursday, January 20, 2:38 pm - 4pm
- Self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so our contact tracers can get in touch.
And one previously identified location of interest linked to a confirmed case of the Omicron variant has been updated after it was published on Tuesday evening.
Close contact: Flight NZ5077 Auckland - Nelson
- Nelson
- Sunday, January 16, 2:05pm - 3:35pm
- This exposure is linked to an Omicron case. Self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so our contact tracers can get in touch.
1:50pm - Soundsplash Festival organisers have acknowledged that some youth attempted to unlawfully enter the event, which has been dubbed a potential "super-spreader".
Five attendees have now tested positive for COVID-19 in Auckland - with one carrying the Omicron variant.
Stuff reported earlier on Thursday that some unvaccinated youth had allegedly been jumping the fence to illegally enter the festival, which was held over January 21, 22 and 23 at the Mystery Creek Event Centre on the outskirts of Hamilton.
A woman who spoke to the outlet claimed her children had witnessed security guards tackling a few young people who had jumped the fence to access the event.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the festival's organisers and the owners of the Mystery Creek Event Centre admitted there had been a "small handful" of individuals who attempted to enter the event without a vaccine pass.
"Both the organisers and venue owner encourage attendees to follow the advice as outlined on the ministry's website... you should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days and if symptoms do develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative result," they said.
"The event held under the orange traffic light level was held in accordance with the COVID-19 Protection Framework, with all protocols strictly followed including the scanning of My Vaccine Passes.
"There were minimal reports of individuals attempting to unlawfully enter the event, with security having dealt with those who chose to put others at risk with their poor decisions.
"The small handful of instances were notified to the police who were present at the event."
1:36pm - Here are today's regional updates from the Ministry of Health:
Today's cases
We are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Nelson-Marlborough.
We are also announcing one case in Tairawhiti and four cases in Canterbury which were notified after the Ministry's reporting deadline.
Regional updates
We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested, even if you're vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result. We are also asking people to regularly check the locations of interest as these are regularly updated and to follow the advice provided.
Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.
Please also continue to check for any updated Locations of Interest and appropriate health advice, updated regularly on the Ministry's website.
Auckland
There are 22 cases to report in Auckland today.
To date, whole genome sequencing has identified that at least one of these cases is linked to known or suspected Omicron cases, and the others remain under investigation.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 619 people in the region to isolate at home, including 176 cases.
Waikato
There are two new cases in the Waikato today, with one linked to previous cases and one under investigation. Both are from Hamilton.
Public health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in Waikato are supporting 18 cases to isolate at home.
Lakes DHB
We are reporting seven new cases in Rotorua today. Six are household contacts of previously reported cases and one remains under investigation.
Bay of Plenty
We are reporting three new COVID-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty today.
One of these cases is part of a Tauranga household with two other cases, reported earlier this week. Whole genome sequencing has now linked these two earlier cases to the January Omicron Cluster and the new case is being treated as Omicron.
The remaining two cases from today are in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and are being investigated for links to previously reported cases.
In addition, we are announcing three more cases who have tested positive for COVID-19. They are all linked to an exposure event at the early childhood centre BestStart Pyes Pa on January 19. All three are being treated as Omicron.
These three cases will be included officially in Friday's numbers.
Toi Te Ora Public Health is expecting further exposure events arising from these cases and locations of interest will be published on the Ministry of Health website when they are identified.
Click here for details of testing centres in Tauranga.
Tairāwhiti
Today we are announcing a case in Gisborne. The result was received after the reporting cut-off time and it will be officially included in Friday's case numbers.
Investigations are currently underway to determine a link to other known cases in the current outbreak. However, at this stage it is likely that this person became infected during travel outside of the region. The case is currently in isolation and any locations of interest will be published on the Ministry of Health's website.
Taranaki
Today we are reporting one new case in Taranaki. This was the case we reported initially on Wednesday.
In addition, we are reporting a second case of COVID-19 in the region linked to the January Omicron Cluster.
The person is a household contact of the case reported yesterday and they are in isolation. This case was notified after the Ministry's reporting deadline and will be included in the case count on Friday.
Investigations are underway to identify any exposure events or locations of interest associated with this case and will be published on the Ministry of Health website as they are identified.
Hawke's Bay
Today we are reporting eight new cases of COVID-19 in Hawke's Bay, all expected and linked to the known Hastings Delta Cluster.
The cases had all been isolating and therefore there are no new, associated locations of interest to add.
Nelson-Marlborough
We are announcing two new cases in the region today.
These cases were first announced on Wednesday and are included in today's reported numbers.
In addition, we're reporting two cases which will be officially added to Friday's case numbers. These two cases are part of one of the households which has been epidemiologically linked to the January Omicron Cluster.
Whole genome sequencing is underway but both are being treated as Omicron at this stage.
Click here for details of testing centres in Nelson.
Canterbury
Four community cases have been notified in Canterbury today – all in Christchurch. Two are in the same household.
All four cases remain under investigation to establish any links to previous cases.
These cases were reported after the cut-off time and it will be officially included in Friday's case numbers.
People should continue to get tested if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, and regularly check the Ministry of Health website for locations of interest in Canterbury.
1:34pm - Here is the latest data from the Ministry of Health on the outbreak and vaccination campaign:
Canterbury has become the third District Health Board (DHB) to fully vaccinate more than 90 percent of eligible Māori.
More than four million first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered to our 12-and-over population across Aotearoa - another very significant milestone.
There were 13,995 paediatric doses administered on Wednesday, bringing the total to 124,155. This is 26 percent of the five to 11 age group. A further 25,596 are booked in for a first dose.
The total number of paediatric first doses given to Māori children aged five to 11 is 15,639 and 8381 have been given to Pacific children of the same age.
There were 50,946 boosters administered on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,163,046. This is 63 percent of all those that have become eligible.
COVID-19 vaccine update
Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,035,915 first doses (96 pct); 3,953,820 second doses (94 pct); 1,163,046 booster doses *
Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,442 first doses; 2,317 second doses; 13,995 paediatric doses; 50,946 booster doses.
Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 510,804 first doses (89 pct); 482,856 second doses (85 pct).
Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 276,351 first doses (96 pct); 267,949 second doses (93 pct).
Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 124,155 first doses (26 pct)
Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 15,639 first doses (14 pct)
Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 8,381 first doses (17 pct)
From today we have made a change to how we report vaccination numbers administered to date in this statement.
Rather than reporting doses administered, we now report people vaccinated. For example, under the previous reporting, today's first dose number would've been 4,000,409. Today the number is 4,035,915.
Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)
Northland DHB: First doses (90 pct); second doses (86 pct)
Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97 pct); second doses (95 pct)
Waikato DHB: First doses (95 pct); second doses (92 pct)
Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95 pct); second doses (92 pct)
Lakes DHB: First doses (93 pct); second doses (90 pct)
MidCentral DHB: First doses (96 pct); second doses (94 pct)
Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (92 pct); second doses (89 pct)
Whanganui DHB: First doses (92 pct); second doses (89 pct)
Hawke's Bay: First doses (96 pct); second doses (93 pct)
MidCentral DHB: First doses (96 pct); second doses (94 pct)
Taranaki DHB: First doses (94 pct); second doses (92 pct)
Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96 pct); second doses (94 pct)
Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98 pct); second doses (97 pct)
Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (96 pct); second doses (95 pct)
Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (96 pct); second doses (94 pct)
West Coast DHB: First doses (93 pct); second doses (90 pct)
Canterbury DHB: First doses (99 pct); second doses (97 pct)
South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95 pct); second doses (93 pct)
Southern DHB: First doses (97 pct); second doses (96 pct)
Hospitalisations
Cases in hospital: 5; North Shore: 2; Auckland: 1; Middlemore: 1, Rotorua: 1,
Average age of current hospitalisations: 68
Cases in ICU or HDU: 1 (Rotorua)
Cases
Seven day rolling average of community cases: 29
Seven day rolling average of border cases: 42
Number of new community cases: 45
Number of new cases identified at the border: 51
* Location of new community cases: Auckland (22), Waikato (2), Bay of Plenty (3), Lakes (7), Taranaki (1), Hawke's Bay (8), Nelson Marlborough (2)
Number of community cases (total): 11,601 (in current community outbreaks)
Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,858
Number of active cases (total): 507 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
Confirmed cases (total): 15,466
Contacts
Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,962
Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 77 pct
Percentage who has returned at least one result: 77 pct
Tests
Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 22,894
Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 16,359
Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 11,761
Wastewater
ESR has detected a positive sample in Porirua on 25 January. If you're feeling unwell, please arrange a test. Details of testing locations in the region can be found on Healthpoint
NZ COVID Tracer
Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,553,133
Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 50,140
My Vaccine Pass
My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,942,616
My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 16,912.
1:33pm - Five people in Auckland have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton, with 68 other attendees identified as close contacts.
One of the five cases is carrying the Omicron variant, whole genome sequencing has confirmed.
Here's the full update from the Ministry of Health:
Soundsplash music festival
On Wednesday afternoon five people in Auckland tested positive for COVID-19 after attending Soundsplash music festival in Hamilton over the weekend.
This morning, a location of interest was published for the event.
Anyone who attended the festival is asked to self-monitor for symptoms for ten days following exposure at the event, which is until Wednesday, February 2.
If any cold or flu symptoms develop which could be COVID-19, please get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.
So far, 68 people who attended the festival have been identified as close contacts and this number is expected to increase. Contact tracing staff are contacting these individuals, who are required to follow all public health advice regarding isolation and testing.
Whole genome sequencing has confirmed that one of the cases who attended the festival has the Omicron variant. Whole genome sequencing is underway for the remaining four cases.
Interviews with the five cases will assist in determining whether they contracted COVID-19 before or while attending the festival.
1:31pm - The Ministry of Health's statement is in - there are 45 new cases of COVID-19 to report on Thursday.
To date, 90 community cases of COVID-19 have either been confirmed as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported case - an increase of 34.
Here is the full update on the Omicron outbreak:
Omicron update
Public health teams are continuing to manage Omicron cases in the community through rapidly isolating cases and contacts, contact tracing, and testing to slow the spread.
To date, there are 90 community cases of COVID-19 that are either confirmed as Omicron variant or have been linked to previously reported Omicron case, an increase of 34.
There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Palmerston North, and Nelson Tasman.
Many of these additional cases have previously been reported as COVID-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.
Therefore, many are not included in today's reported new COVID-19 community cases.
The number of cases and contacts are expected to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews.
As part of our collective preparations for Omicron, please check your details are up to date with your regular healthcare provider and in the COVID-19 Tracer app.
We also continue to urge anyone with symptoms, or anyone who has been to a location of interest at the times notified, to take health advice, isolate immediately and get tested promptly.
Being prepared also means remembering the basics - wash your hands, stay at home if you're unwell, wear a mask when you can't physically distance and get vaccinated, including a booster.
1:15pm - Eight new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the Hawke's Bay region, all linked to a cluster of Delta infections in Hastings, the local District Health Board confirmed on Thursday.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Nick Jones said the individuals have all been safely isolating and there are no new associated locations of interest.
"People need to be vigilant with Omicron beginning to circulate around the country, and get tested if they have any cold or flu like symptoms, no matter how minor. The quicker we identify people and isolate them along with their close contacts the more chance we have of stopping any further spread of the virus," Dr Jones said.
Drive-in testing centres and booked appointments are available and include:
Thursday, January 27:
Totara Health, Flaxmere drive-through 10am - 1pm
CHB Health Centre drive-through 9am - 4pm
Splash Planet, Hastings 10am - 1pm
Friday, January 28:
Splash planet Hastings drive-through 10am -1pm
Whitmore Park Napier drive-through 10am - 1pm
CHB Health Centre drive-through 9am - 4pm
To book a test:
Hastings Health Centre, call 06 281 2644 between 8:30am - 5pm, Monday - Saturday to book an appointment
The Doctors Napier, call 0800 837 819 between 9am - 5pm daily to book an appointment
Takapau Health Centre, call 06 855 8376 between 11:30am -12pm, Monday - Wednesday and Friday to book an appointment
Queen Street Practice Wairoa, for booked appointments call 06 838 8333 daily.
Vaccination is the best protection against COVID-19 and people eligible for their booster should get it done for an added layer of protection, Dr Jones said. If you're 18 or older and it's been four months since your second vaccine dose, get your booster as soon as you can. Book your booster or find a walk-in vaccination centre at BookMyVaccine.nz
Hawke's Bay DHB now requires all visitors to Hawke's Bay and Wairoa Hospitals, along with the inpatient unit at Central Hawke's Bay Medical Centre, to wear surgical masks.
1:03pm - A private event at the Manukau Indian Association Diversity Center in Papatoetoe has been identified as the latest high-risk location of interest.
The event is currently not linked to a confirmed or suspected Omicron case.
Anyone who was at the event is asked to isolate and get tested immediately.
Close contact: Private Event Manukau Indian Association Diversity Center
- 25 Tui Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 2025
- Friday, January 21, 7pm - 10pm
- Self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so our contact tracers can get in touch.
An earlier location of interest has also been updated:
MITRE 10 Mega Mt Wellington
- 72 Lunn Avenue, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1072
- Monday, January 17, 10am - 6pm
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative result.
12:40pm - As usual, the Ministry of Health will release its daily statement with the latest updates on the COVID-19 outbreak at around 1pm.
Stay tuned as we will publish the newest developments live as soon as the statement is available.
12:25pm - Despite new modelling that suggests Aotearoa could face a peak of 80,000 new Omicron infections a day, Minister of Health Andrew Little says he is "very confident" that the country is prepared.
But National Party's Health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti, says Little is "dreaming" when it comes to hospitals' intensive care unit (ICU) capacity.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has predicted an outbreak of the Omicron variant in New Zealand could last about three months, with death rates projected to total more than 400 by May 1.
"We've had two years of experience of this particular virus and its forms and the level of preparation and planning that has gone into each phase and each stage has left us - compared to most other countries in the rest of the world - somewhat of a leader in terms of minimising harm to people," Little told Morning Report.
"That's the approach we continue to take at this point."
Modelling estimated that at the peak of the outbreak in early March, 458 ICU beds could be needed - and occupancy could come under "extreme stress" for a number of weeks.
Last year, Little said there were 289 beds available in ICUs or high dependency units, insisting that number could be increased up to 550 under surge capacity if required.
That was strongly challenged by clinicians and experts, who said the extra capacity was more like 67 - totalling 356.
Asked again about capacity on Thursday, Little said the level of care required for a COVID-19 patient in an ICU or high dependency unit was "not the same as somebody who's been through major trauma and has multiple issues that need to be dealt with".
"Intensive care is needed to ensure that a person is breathing properly and supported and cared for and the experience from overseas, particularly from Britain [is] that staff were given additional surge training, and working under the supervision of fully experienced and qualified ICU nurses and other staff can provide the care that is needed," he said.
"In New Zealand, those have turned up to hospital to get treatment have got the best treatment available and that is the reason why we have one of the lowest mortality rates in relation to COVID compared to pretty much every other country in the world.
"I'm confident that our health workforce, who have been under pressure, who will continue to be under pressure, and a system that is under pressure, will continue to perform and do the best for those who turn up needing hospital level care."
12:05pm - A fast-food restaurant in Tauranga has been identified as a high-risk exposure event after a probable case of the Omicron variant was there last week.
Anyone who visited KFC on Cameron Rd between 5pm and 10:16pm on Thursday, January 20 is asked to self-isolate and get tested immediately.
The case is currently categorised as "probable Omicron", meaning the person is likely linked to a confirmed case but is awaiting the results of whole genome sequencing.
Close contact: KFC Tauranga
- 449 Cameron Road, Tauranga 3110
- Thursday, January 20, 5pm - 10:16pm
- This exposure is linked to a probable omicron case. Self-isolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so our contact tracers can get in touch.
Two other locations of interest have been identified as of 12pm - one in Auckland and one in Hamilton. Neither have been linked to a confirmed or suspected Omicron case as of yet.
MITRE 10 Mega, Mt Wellington
- 72 Lunn Avenue, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1072
- Monday, January 17, 10am - 6pm
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative result.
Pizza Hutt Flagstaff
- Shop 7 1158 River Road, Flagstaff, Hamilton 3210
- Sunday, January 23, 5:45pm - 11:15pm
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative result.
11:45am - Unvaccinated youth reportedly jumped a fence to illegally enter Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton over the weekend, other festival-goers have claimed.
The three-day festival, which was held over January 21-23 at Mystery Creek Events Centre in Ōhaupō, has been identified as a location of interest after the Ministry of Health confirmed a "number of cases" had attended the event - which typically attracts thousands of teenagers.
The public health advice covers the entirety of the three-day festival, with attendees told to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days and to get tested if any develop.
One woman, who spoke to Stuff on the condition of anonymity, claimed her 16-year-old daughter had shared a vape with an unvaccinated boy who had jumped the fence to enter the festival.
Under the COVID-19 Protection Framework, only people who are fully vaccinated - and have a vaccine pass as proof - are able to attend large-scale events.
"A large number of people were doing it, apparently they could see them all climbing and running in," the woman told Stuff.
She claimed security guards were tackling people who had managed to jump the fence and sneak in.
She also said staff did not check the vaccine passes of her son, daughter or another teen in her care.
A video showing a group of young people sneaking in to the festival had been shared to Instagram over the weekend, but was later deleted.
11:30am - Businesses say the prioritisation for the Government's order of rapid antigen tests (RATs) has tripped up their pandemic planning, according to the Food and Grocery Council.
The council said members were profoundly disappointed the Government jumped to the front of the queue, receiving RATs that would otherwise have gone to them.
The Government has 14 million of the testing kits arriving in a month, but private businesses who also pre-ordered RATs now face delays in getting their own tests.
The council's chief executive, Katherine Rich, said its members have expressed disappointment and sadness over the Government's decision to ask the suppliers for priority over other orders.
She said companies were doing the right thing by putting together pandemic plans, which included ordering the rapid tests.
"Those orders had been accepted, and in some cases they've actually paid for goods, only to find that their orders have been cancelled because the government had bumped their order," Rich said.
She noted that companies had previously explained to staff how they were going to use the tests to minimise disruptions during an outbreak, but now those plans were in tatters.
"It is unfair because what the Ministry of Health has done has cut right across the pandemic plans for essential businesses who are trying to keep the food supply going."
11:16am - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she has yet to be briefed on Soundsplash Festival, possibly a "super-spreader" event, after a number of attendees tested positive.
She urged attendees who are presenting symptoms - such as a fever, cough, sore throat, headache or tiredness - to get a test.
Public health teams will be contacting those who may need to take further steps, she said.
As Ardern has yet to be briefed on the event, she is currently not aware of specific numbers regarding cases or contacts.
11:10am - The Prime Minister is holding a stand-up in Lower Hutt to take questions from the media.
10:55am - Targeted vaccination approaches are needed in the face of Omicron variant, says the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, as a number of people who experience mental distress or addictions remain unvaccinated.
"We must be vigilant to ensure that no one is left behind, now that Omicron is in the community. There is evidence that some people who use specialist mental health services and addiction services are being left behind," Hayden Wano, Chair of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, said in a statement on Thursday.
This month's figures from the Ministry of Health indicate that vaccination rates among users of mental health services are 9 percent lower than the general population - rates among users of addiction services are 19 percent lower.
The figures for Māori are also concerning. Vaccination rates among Māori who use mental health services are 17 percent lower than the general population, and rates among Māori who use addiction services are 26 percent lower.
"There will be a number of reasons for these lower rates, but we are of the view that access is a particular concern, combined with a level of hesitancy and lack of trust. We have no reason to believe that a significant portion are vaccine resistant as such," Wano said.
"We know that populations such as Māori and Pacific peoples regularly experience exclusion and racism. We know that these are factors in their mental health challenges. Vaccination is a wellbeing issue, and if these groups are again finding themselves outside the mainstream on vaccination and more vulnerable to COVID-19, then this is going to reduce their sense of wellbeing and their mental health.
"As we move into the next stage of the vaccination challenge, we will continue to monitor the data and the uptake of the booster among these important groups, as well as ensuring that they are connected with and brought into vaccination roll-out. These groups require active engagement and, in many cases, the best parties to do that are the community-led service providers.
"We cannot speak highly enough about the targeted efforts of Māori and Pacific community providers as well as other service providers and churches, who have contributed to a huge turnaround in rates of vaccination for Māori and Pacific communities. This is the kind of targeted approach that is needed to ensure that people who experience mental distress and those who experience addictions, have equitable and timely access to the vaccination."
10:42am - Soundsplash Festival has officially been identified as a location of interest.
A number of festival-goers have tested positive for the virus after attending the three-day event, which typically attracts thousands of young people.
Soundsplash Festival, Hamilton
- 125 Mystery Creek Road, RD 1, Ohaupo 3881
- Friday, January 21, 6am - Sunday, January 23, 9:15am
- Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after the date of exposure. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative result.
On Wednesday night, prominent microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles said the festival appears to have been a "very big super-spreader event", warning Kiwis to prepare for a surge in infections.
10:20am - Mayors across the Waikato region are bracing for a surge in COVID-19 infections after a possible "super-spreader" event was held in Hamilton over the weekend.
The Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday that a "number of cases" had attended Soundsplash Festival over January 21 and 23 at the Mystery Creek Events Centre, with microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles warning the festival had likely been a significant "super-spreader".
There are also reports on social media that a number of young people have since tested positive for the virus on Auckland's North Shore after attending the three-day events, which typically attracts around 3000 teenagers.
In a statement on Wednesday night, organisers confirmed they were aware of the reports but had yet to be officially contacted by the Ministry of Health.
Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Waipa Mayor Jim Mylchreest said he also hadn't received any official information from the ministry, but said it was "inevitable" at this stage that an attendee at a large event would have the virus.
"I don't even know whether it is the Omicron version or the Delta version. So with a large gathering like that, I suppose you can anticipate with the virus circulating in the community that it would show up," he said.
"At an event like that, it is obviously going to spread pretty rapidly particularly if it is Omicron."
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate told the Herald she would also be seeking more information about the reported cases on Thursday and already had scheduled a meeting with the District Health Board.
"I'm in the same camp as everyone else at the moment. Just listening to the speculation and waiting for final details," she said.
"I think we need to encourage young people to realise events and gatherings are potentially a conduit for spreading COVID faster, especially the Omicron variant."
10:05am - Prominent microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles has responded to reports that a number of new cases had attended a popular music festival in Hamilton over the weekend.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that a "number of cases" attended Soundsplash Festival, which was held from January 21 to January 23 at the Mystery Creek Events Centre on the outskirts of Hamilton.
In a tweet on Wednesday night, Dr Wiles warned New Zealanders to brace themselves for a potential surge in infections.
The festival may have been a significant "super-spreader" event, she said.
"Brace yourself New Zealand. Looks like might have had a very big super-spreader event. Word of warning - nasal swabs may miss about 1/10 positives with Omicron so if you have symptoms and test negative you may still be infected," she wrote.
9:50am - Let's take a look at what's happening elsewhere in the world.
Sweden has set a daily record for new infections, registering 44,944 cases on January 25 as a fourth wave of the virus mounts across the country.
The daily figures are typically revised as any delayed records of additional cases are added to the national total for a given day. The previous record of 43,723 cases was set on January 20.
Sweden's government announced new restrictions this month as the highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps across the European nation, putting considerable strain on the country's healthcare system.
In Austria, lockdown restrictions for those who are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will end on Monday as pressure eases on hospitals, the government said on Wednesday.
However, the number of new infections is rising, driven by the Omicron variant. Austria hit a new record on Wednesday, recording more than 30,000 cases, Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein told a news conference. The outbreak is expected to peak in the next two weeks at around 35,000 to 40,000.
The occupancy rate of hospital and intensive care beds, however, has been falling.
"We came to the conclusion that the lockdown for unvaccinated people in Austria is only justifiable in the event of the threat of an imminent over-burdening of intensive-care capacity," Mueckstein told a news conference, adding experts no longer saw it as necessary.
Meanwhile in China, Beijing recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday - the highest daily count in its current outbreak - less than two weeks before the Winter Olympics are set to begin in the Chinese capital and the neighbouring province of Hebei.
Although the numbers for Beijing's outbreak, which began on January 15, are lower than elsewhere in the world, the city has ordered targeted lockdowns for tens of thousands of people and tested a few million residents to block infection.
9:40am - The owners of an Auckland restaurant say their franchise agreement is being terminated after they repeatedly refused to follow the Government's rules regarding vaccination.
It comes after Worksafe issued the New Lynn Lone Star two Infringement Notices and fined them $24,000 for violations of the vaccine mandate.
In a misinformation-filled YouTube video on Wednesday, owners Brendon and Stephanie said their restaurant will be shut down on Thursday.
"Sadly we expect our business will be shut down by our Lone Star franchise as we did not follow these unreasonable and inconsistent mandates.
"Lone Star Franchise gave us 10 days to remedy our situation and become fully compliant. If we don't then our franchise agreement will be terminated. This is set to happen on [Thursday] the 27th," Stephanie said.
Lone Star New Lynn made headlines in December when its owners advertised roles for people who weren't vaccinated against COVID-19.
Videos posted to social media show supporters of controversial Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, who has frequently rallied against the mandates, flocking to the restaurant on Wednesday night.
9:30am - A case of COVID-19 has been detected in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne.
In a statement on Thursday morning, Hauora Tairāwhiti/Gisborne Hospital confirmed the person is a resident of Gisborne and has been isolating while awaiting their test results.
Contacts are being followed up, it said, with no locations of interest identified at this stage.
The variant has yet to be confirmed.
"A person from Tairāwhiti has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Laboratory test results came back yesterday evening," the hospital said.
"They are a Gisborne resident. The person has been in self-isolation and will remain in quarantine.
"Everyone the person has been in contact with since the person became infectious is now being followed up by local public health officials and Takatū Hub as contacts.
"The genotyping for this case will come through in the next 48 hours. Further detail will be provided as it comes to hand."
If you or your whānau have cold or flu symptoms, such as a sore throat or cough, get tested.
Testing is available locally at:
- 110 Peel St, 9am - 12pm
- Your GP
- Te Puia Hospital, 9am - 12pm: By appointment following phone triage, call (06) 864 6803
- Tokomaru Bay Clinic, 9am - 12pm: By appointment following phone triage, call (06) 864 5859.
9:15am - Queenstown Airport and Hotel St Moritz Queenstown have been added as locations of interest after they were visited by a suspected Omicron case.
They are not high-risk, 'close contact' exposure events, however anyone who was at the airport or the hotel at the relevant times is asked to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days.
Hotel St Moritz Queenstown
10-18 Brunswick Street, Queenstown 9300
Saturday, January 22, 12am - 12pm
This exposure is linked to a suspected Omicron case. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result.
Queenstown Airport
1 Sir Henry Wigley Drive, Frankton, Queenstown 9300
Saturday, January 22, 2:15pm - 3pm
This exposure is linked to a suspected Omicron case. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result.
8:55am - The Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday night that a small number of workers at the border and their close contacts have tested positive for the Omicron BA2 variant.
"The Omicron BA2 variant has been found in a small number of border workers and their close contacts. The current January Omicron Cluster is the BA1 Omicron variant," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told Newshub.
On Wednesday, the ministry announced that there were 56 confirmed or suspected cases of the Omicron variant, an increase of 27 compared to Tuesday's total of 29. Of the 27, 15 were new cases in Auckland, Taranaki and Nelson-Tasman, linked to the January Omicron Cluster. The remaining 12 were cases who had been linked to the three border workers who tested positive for the variant earlier this month.
Of the 56 confirmed or suspected cases, 44 have been linked either directly or indirectly to a family event and other associated events in Auckland on the weekend of January 15 and 16.
The family at the centre of the outbreak had travelled to Auckland from Motueka that weekend to attend a wedding, funeral and other social gatherings and tested positive for the virus following their return to Nelson-Tasman.
8:40am - A school in east Auckland has warned students who attended Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton over the weekend not to attend school on Thursday.
A number of positive cases attended the event, which was held at the Mystery Creek Events Centre on the outskirts of Hamilton from January 21 to January 23.
Glendowie College, located in the eastern suburb of Glendowie, warned students who attended the festival not to come to school on Thursday, January 27 until they have received an official all-clear.
"All students who attended Soundsplash should NOT attend school tomorrow (Thursday 27th) until they have received health advice that it is safe to do so," the school said.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health confirmed to Newshub that health officials have been made aware of a "number of cases" who attended the festival over the weekend.
"Public health officials are currently assessing the potential exposure and expect to publish a location of interest, which will include health advice for those who were at the event."
Any further updates will provided in the ministry's daily statement.
8:30am - Professor Michael Baker has warned that people - particularly those who are more vulnerable and at higher risk of developing serious illness - should be reducing their interactions with others outside of their immediate household or family unit as the outbreak threatens to explode.
Speaking to RNZ's Morning Report on Thursday, Baker said it's imperative that everyone - but especially the elderly or those with underlying health conditions - are getting their booster shot. The third dose provides heightened protection against the Omicron variant as opposed to just the standard two-dose course.
He agreed that the elderly or those who are more vulnerable should consider reducing their contact with others.
"The number one thing, of course, is to get a booster, particularly for older people or those with underlying health conditions. Hopefully they're all eligible and have got their booster now, so that's number one. Number two is to reduce your contact with people outside your family unit, perhaps during this period when the outbreak is peaking… and masks really do make a difference," he said.
He stressed that people with underlying health conditions should be opting for a high-quality, N95-style mask while out and about instead of cloth alternatives.
Morning Report co-host Corin Dann noted that under the red setting, people can still go about their daily business - but with thousands of cases potentially looming on the horizon, should people be taking proactive actions now to protect themselves and others?
"That's the time to really scale back your interactions with people. I'm assuming most people with events coming up should be looking at postponing them. The bad news is that this is a very intense outbreak and in some ways that's also good news - it means it will be over in a few months. Deferring events now is a good idea, particularly for this period," Baker said.
8:15am - There could be far more active cases of Omicron in the community than our daily tallies are currently showing, according to Professor Michael Baker.
Most people who have contracted the highly infectious variant will be presenting only a few symptoms, while some will be completely asymptomatic, the University of Otago epidemiologist warned - indicating that not everyone with the virus will necessarily be getting tested.
As of Wednesday, 56 people have either tested positive for the Omicron variant or are suspected of carrying it due to a link to a confirmed case - but Professor Baker said that number is likely far higher.
"The thing that is so striking about how Omicron behaves in a population is how rapid the outbreak is. Once it starts, once it gets through what I think the Government is calling Phase One, which we're in at the moment, it's really quite explosive that exponential curve," he told RNZ's Morning Report on Thursday.
When asked by co-host Corin Dann if that means there are likely more cases in the community than currently recorded, Baker agreed.
"That's right."
New overseas modelling conducted by a respected research facility projects that New Zealand could be recording 80,000 new infections each day at the peak of its outbreak - and that total only accounts for one in eight being officially detected, Baker noted.
"This modelling also assumes that only about one in eight cases has even been detected, so that's been built into it. Most cases will only have a few symptoms or no symptoms."
As to whether the timeline plotted by the researchers is accurate, Baker acknowledged that the dates could be slightly off - given the modelling predicts that New Zealand could be seeing 50,000 infections a day by Waitangi weekend.
"Remember that they just chose an arbitrary date in the middle of January for when the outbreak would start and it looks like we're running at least a week behind that in New Zealand, so we can move those dates on."
Instead, Baker projected that the number of infections will begin to ramp up in late February, with the outbreak reaching its peak in March - depending on the effectiveness of suppression efforts over the next few weeks.
"I think the peak will be slightly later than what this report indicated, simply because we started a bit later."
8am - Doctors are warning they will not be able to help everyone when the outbreak surges to possibly thousands of new cases each day.
The warning follows the announcement of the Government's three-phase plan to tackle the highly contagious Omicron variant. As the disease spreads, people who test positive will largely manage themselves, rapid antigen tests will become the go-to, and periods of isolation will shrink.
For now, Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said the focus is on stamping out the virus.
"We are being very intensive about our management of risk while our number of cases are small, but that response can't be sustained when the number of cases are larger," she said.
In as little as two weeks, there could be enough cases to trigger the second phase of the Government's plan - slowing Omicron's spread.
"The system will then focus more on identifying those who are at a great risk of severe illness from Omicron," Dr Verrall said.
In phase two, the isolation period will drop to 10 days for confirmed cases and seven for their contacts. Critical workers who are identified as contacts will be able to return to work sooner if they can provide a negative rapid antigen test. More cases will also be managed digitally with text notifications and phone support.
New Zealand will enter the third phase when there are thousands of new infections every day. At that point, only those at the highest risk will have to isolate. Health officials will focus on managing Omicron's spread in places like prisons and retirement villages, and most community cases will have to manage themselves with their GP's help.
But New Zealand Medical Association deputy chair Vanessa Weenink has warned doctors will not be able to help everyone.
"We need people to be very careful about when they are contacting us, [but] at the same time we don't want people to say, 'I don't want to bother my GP', so it is a very hard line - but we absolutely will not have capacity if we have tens of thousands of cases a day to be calling people actively," she said.
"We will do what we can, but we will be overwhelmed very rapidly."
7:50am - New Zealand could see 80,000 new infections a day at the peak of its Omicron outbreak, according to grim new modelling from an overseas research organisation.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projects that New Zealand could be recording 50,000 new Omicron infections a day by Waitangi weekend, with the outbreak peaking at about 80,000 infections each day just a few weeks later.
The Institute predicts an outbreak in New Zealand will last about three months, with death rates projected to total more than 400 by May 1. Daily fatalities are predicted to spike at about 10 through mid-March.
7:40am - Organisers of a popular music festival in Hamilton say they have yet to be officially contacted by the Ministry of Health after reports emerged on Wednesday that a "number of cases" had attended the event.
In a post to its social media platforms shortly after 9pm, Soundsplash Festival organisers said they had yet to receive official advice from the ministry.
"At this stage, the organisers of Soundsplash are awaiting official communication from the Ministry of Health on this matter.
"However, the Ministry had advised media outlets that public health officials are currently assessing the potential exposure.
"We will provide further updates once we receive official advice from the Ministry of Health."
Read more about the potential exposure at the festival here.
7:30am - Kia ora, good morning, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak for Thursday, January 27.
