New Zealand continued its low run of new COVID-19 community cases with another day of 28 cases on Thursday.
What you need to know:
- There were 28 new community cases announced on Thursday and 13 at the border.
- Thirty-four people are in hospital, including two in ICU or HDU.
- Capital and Coast will become the first DHB to reach 90 percent fully vaccinated Māori. That milestone is expected to be hit on Thursday.
- Click here for locations of interest.
These live updates have finished.
5pm - There are seven new locations of interest. These are:
- Wellington Airport Domestic, January 5 from 5pm to 6:15pm
- Community meeting Waihou Community Hall, January 5 from 7pm to 10pm
- The Big Apple Fruit Store Greytown, January 6 from 12:57pm to 1:15pm
- The Warehouse Upper Hutt, January 6 from 5:05pm to 5:30pm
- Savebarn Christchurch, January 10 from 9am to 5:30pm
- Savebarn Christchurch, January 11 from 9am to 5:30pm
- Pak'nSave Wainoni Christchurch, January 12 from 11:30am to 1:30pm.
4pm - There are five DHBs yet to reach the 90 percent two dose vaccination goal. They are:
- Northland: 85 percent of eligible population fully vaccinated, 7570 people remaining to reach goal
- Lakes: 89 percent fully vaccinated, 1068 remaining
- Tairāwhiti: 87 percent fully vaccinated, 1054 remaining
- Whanganui: 88 percent fully vaccinated, 1160 remaining
- West Coast: 89 percent fully vaccinated, 326 remaining.
Northland DHB is still yet to reach 90 percent of first doses. It has partially vaccinated 89 percent of its eligible population with 1634 remaining.
3:10pm - There are six new locations of interest. They are:
- Roxy Bar Auckland, 10pm on January 5 to 4am on January 6
- Holiday Inn Rotorua, 7:30pm on January 7 to 10am on January 8
- G.A.Y Night Club Auckland Central, January 8 from 1:45am to 3am
- Kaitoke Regional Park Public Toilets Upper Hutt, January 10 from 12am to 11:49 pm
- Kaitoke Regional Park Public Toilets Upper Hutt, January 11 from 12am to 9am
- Nanking Takeaways Brooklyn, Wellington, January 11 from 5:45pm to 6:05pm.
2:45pm - In Queensland, they have reported 14,914 new cases and six deaths.
There are 530 people in hospital, 26 of whom are in ICU.
And in Victoria, there are 37,169 new cases and 25 deaths.
There are 953 people in hospital, 111 of whom are in ICU and 29 are on ventilators.
2:10pm - A fast-spreading Omicron variant that causes milder illness compared with previous versions of the coronavirus has fueled the view that COVID-19 poses less of a risk than in the past.
In which case, some ask, why go to great lengths to prevent getting infected now, since everybody will be exposed to the virus sooner or later?
Here is why experts say it is not time to be complacent about Omicron.
1:45pm - South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen says the four cases in Wairarapa are in Featherston. He says this isn't unexpected news and people should continue to go about their business but keep vigilant about their protection.
"We all know the drill but it’s vital we keep up the basic measures because we know they work," he said.
:That’s regular handwashing, wearing a mask when out and about, keeping our 2 metres apart and keeping a track of our movements so contact tracers can help us stay informed."
He said it was "inevitable" COVID would arrive eventually and hopes the affected residents rest up and recover soon. He encouraged people to get vaccinated.
A vaccination clinic at Featherston community centre is closed, but a pop-up clinic at Featherston’s Anzac Hall will open on Saturday and continue running for the rest of the month on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 3.30pm. Booster shots are available to those over 18.
1:40pm - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is refusing to comment on claims her fiancé tried to get rapid antigen tests (RATs) for his musician friends despite them not being eligible.
Clarke Gayford has since apologised for "any issues or confusion" caused by the incident.
1:25pm - More from the Ministry of Health:
COVID tracer app notifications
An intermittent technical issue for with the Covid Tracer mobile phone notification system has meant that some notifications to individuals who have scanned into a location of interest recently have been delayed by around 24 hours, but notifications have now been sent.
The issue affected recent notifications sent out about some of the larger festivals in the past two weeks. The Ministry's locations of interest page is updated each day and the Ministry recommends it should be regularly checked by the public.
The issue has now been resolved.
Today’s cases
We are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hutt, Wairarapa and Canterbury.
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 9 cases to report in Auckland today.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 878 people in the region to isolate at home, including 180 cases.
Waikato
There are three new cases in Waikato today, two are linked to previous cases and one is under investigation. One is in Ngāruawāhia, one in Whiritoa and one with location under investigation.
Two new locations of interest were confirmed in Whitianga and Hamilton and will be added to the Ministry’s locations of interest page.
Pop-up testing sites are operating in Te Kūiti, Taumarunui, Tokoroa, Ōtorohanga, Putāruru, Ngāruawāhia, Huntly, Hamilton and Whangamatā today. For details of all dedicated testing sites including other general practices, please visit the DHB’s website.
Public Health staff in the region, together with primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 30 cases to isolate at home.
Bay of Plenty
There are five cases to report in the Bay of Plenty today – all in the Tauranga area. Four of these cases are close contacts of previously reported cases and interviews continue to determine a link for the fifth case.
All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.
Lakes
Today we are reporting two cases in Rotorua.
Both cases are linked to previously reported cases.
All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.
Wairarapa
There are four cases to report in South Wairarapa today. All four cases are isolating in the same house. These four cases have links to two new cases in Lower Hutt, which are detailed below.
Hutt Valley
The two Lower Hutt cases are from the same household. The two cases in Lower Hutt had been in Rotorua recently and further investigations and genome sequencing is underway to confirm the source of infection.
Public health staff are working to determine any locations of interest arising from the cases in Hutt Valley and Wairarapa. Please keep checking the Ministry’s website for regular updates
Canterbury
Today we are reporting three new cases in Canterbury – all are household contacts in Christchurch.
One of these cases is one we initially reported yesterday – it is being officially added to our case numbers today.
Two are linked to a previously reported case. The third remains under investigation.
There will be further locations of interest from around Canterbury, following travel over the holiday break. These will be updated regularly, along with health advice, on the Ministry’s locations of interest page.
Note that locations of interest reflect where cases of COVID-19 have been, which is not always where these cases live.
1:15pm - The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the Capital and Coast DHB:
Today Capital and Coast will become the first DHB area to reach the 90% fully vaccinated milestone for Māori. When the region’s clinics closed for the day yesterday, they were only 32 second doses short and they’re expected to reach this significant milestone at some point today.
Not far behind in reaching 90% fully vaccinated for their eligible Māori populations are Canterbury and Auckland DHBs, who may get there next week.
Forty two percent of the population currently eligible have now received their booster shot.
We are strongly recommending boosters for anyone over the age of 18 who had their second vaccine dose at least four months ago.
Vaccination remains our key defence against all variants of COVID-19 including Omicron.
1:05pm - There are 28 new community cases of COVID-19 to report on Thursday, located in Auckland (9), Waikato (3), Bay of Plenty (5), Lakes (2), Wairarapa (4), Hutt Valley (2) and Canterbury (3).
There are 13 people at the border with COVID-19. The seven-day rolling average of MIQ cases is 29.
COVID-19 vaccine update
- Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,985,095 first doses (95%); 3,886,724 second doses (92%); 33,993 third primary doses; 637,058 booster doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,437 first doses; 3,842 second doses; 630 third primary doses and 41,853 booster doses.
- Māori (percentage of eligible people): 504,769 first doses (88%); 472,228 second doses (83%).
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 273,461 first doses (95%); 263,598 second doses (92%).
Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)
- Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (85%)
- Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (96%); second doses (95%)
- Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)
- Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)
- Taranaki DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (87%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
- Wairarapa DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
- Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
- Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: 34; North Shore: 4; Auckland: 8; Middlemore: 17; Tauranga: 4; Waikato 1
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (25 cases / 61%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (1 case / 2%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (15 cases / 37%).
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 49
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 2; Middlemore: 1; Tauranga: 1
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 30
- Seven day rolling average of border cases: 29
- Number of new community cases: 28
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 13
- Location of new community cases: Auckland (9), Waikato (3), Bay of Plenty (5), Lakes (2), Wairarapa (4), Hutt Valley (2), Canterbury (3),
- Number of community cases (total): 11,236 (in current community outbreak)
- Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,513
- Number of active cases (total): 639 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 14,512
Contacts
- Number of active contacts being managed (total): 4,733
- Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 82%
- Percentage who has returned at least one result: 80%
Tests
- Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 16,990
- Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 15,208
- Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 5,556
Wastewater
- There has been a wastewater detection in Kawerau, in the Bay of Plenty on 10 January.
NZ COVID Tracer
- Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,419,339
- Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 43,460
My Vaccine Pass
- My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,757,806
- My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 15,540
12:50pm - We are now waiting on the 1pm case update.
12:30pm - Sir Rod Stewart has announced he's "absolutely gutted with disappointment" to have to cancel his New Zealand shows set for April this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain' hitmaker was scheduled to perform his The Hits! Tour at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on April 6 followed by two shows at Hawke's Bay's Mission Estate Winery on April 9 and 10.
12:10pm - There are three new locations of interest:
- Kaitoke Regional Park Public Toilets Upper Hutt - Sunday, January 9 between 12am and 11:59pm
- Kaitoke Regional Park Public Toilets Upper Hutt - Monday, January 10 between 12am and 11:59pm
- Catalina Bay Farmers Market, Hobsonville - Sunday, January 9 between 1pm and 1:45pm
11:50am - Matthew Tukaki, the chair of the National Māori Authority, has a message for whanau ahead of the children vaccination rollout next week.
He says Omicron is at the "gate of our house", "walking up the path and now knocking at the door of our whare". It is inevitable, Tukaki says, that Omicron will enter the community and he hopes enough has been done to take advantage of the additional time New Zealand has had to prepare.
The next focus should be vaccinating children, he says, especially before Omicron arrives and in the small window ahead of the school year starting.
"That is why I am urging our whanau right across the country to seek your medical advice now about childhood vaccinations. Speak with your local hauora, your medical professional, a trusted source of information – please do not delay."
11:35am - Dr Jonie Girouard, the now-deregistered doctor Newshub filmed issuing COVID-19 vaccine medical certificate exemptions to anti-vaxxers, has been received an infringement notice from the Ministry of Health. The infringement notice was for being an unvaccinated affected person (a health practitioner) providing health services in-person.
Here is the full Ministry of Health statement:
"The Ministry of Health has issued Dr Jonie Girouard with a $300 infringement notice for breaching clause 7 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination) Order 2021, which is an infringement offence under section 26(3) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020.
"Specifically, it was for an unvaccinated affected person (a health practitioner) providing health services in-person.
"The Ministry had previously declined a request for a Temporary Significant Service Disruption Exemption for Dr Girouard to still practise while unvaccinated.
"It is critical for staff working in the health and disability sector to be vaccinated because they are caring for people who are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
"If a healthcare worker is unvaccinated, they can continue to see patients only if they are working 100% remotely / via telehealth.
"It is a breach of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 for a GP to see patients in person without being vaccinated unless they have a valid exemption.
"The offending occurred on 2 December. At the time, the infringement fee was set at $300.
"Infringement fees for these offences were subsequently increased from $300 to $4000 shortly after the offence occurred.
"The Medical Council has deregistered Dr Girouard, who is no longer able to practise medicine in New Zealand."
11:25am - There is one new location of interest: Work and Income in Upper Hutt on Tuesday, January 11 between 9:53am and 10:05am.
11:10am - New South Wales has reported 92,264 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with the increase being attributed to people registering their positive rapid antigen tests on the state's new reporting system.
The new system went live on Wednesday and it allows people to register a positive test. Of the new cases 61,387 were reported after a positive RAT test.
11:00am - Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker has told the NZ Herald he thinks "we're really pushing our luck with the number of infected people arriving."
There were 65 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 at the border on Wednesday, the highest total ever of cases in MIQ.
"You always try not to react to a daily total, but I think that certainly must be the largest number we've ever had on a single day," Baker told the Herald.
"It could happen with an MIQ staff member going out into the community before testing positive, and not all of these failures will translate into an outbreak, as we saw with [DJ Dimension].
"But we could end up with something like the beginning of the Auckland August outbreak, where we suddenly find one case of Omicron in the community that represents the tip of an iceberg.
"The trouble with Omicron, of course, is that it's very unforgiving, in terms of its level of infectivity – and I think we're really pushing our luck with the number of infected people arriving."
10:45am - New Zealanders living overseas say COVID-19 is now part of everyday life as cases of the highly-infectious Omicron variant steadily grow around the globe.
More than 307 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed since the pandemic began, with countries now breaking records for daily case numbers as leaders struggle to keep the new variant at bay RNZ reported.
Cantabrian Savannah Winter has been working as an Au Pair in Paris for about six months.
"Everyone I know, knows someone that has it and the kids I look after are constantly not at school because people in their class are getting it, so I'm thinking, 'Oh am I going to get it again?' We are just waiting and seeing if our kids test positive," Winter told RNZ.
Read the full story here
10:25am - The Ministry of Health has issued new locations of interest, including sites in Christchurch, Hamilton, Auckland and Feilding.
The full list is here.
10:17am - The World Health Organisation has warned that even though Omicron causes less severe disease than Delta countries shouldn't become complacent in their response to the variant.
Omicron is still a "dangerous virus" the WHO warned particularly for unvaccinated people.
Speaking at a news briefing, director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than 90 countries were yet to meet the target of vaccinating 40 percent of their populations and more than 85 percent of people in Africa were yet to receive a single dose.
"We mustn't allow this virus a free ride or wave the white flag, especially when so many people around the globe remain unvaccinated," he said.
In its weekly epidemiological report on Tuesday, the WHO said cases increased by 55 percent, or 15 million, in the week to January 9 from a week earlier - by far the most cases reported in a single week.
10:00am - Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live updates for Wednesday.
New Zealand may have successfully kept the Omicron variant out of the community but it is raging elsewhere.
Omicron is on track to infect more than half of Europeans, but it should not yet be seen as a flu-like endemic illness, the World Health Organization (WHO) said recently.
Europe saw more than 7 million newly-reported cases in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a two-week period, WHO's Europe director Hans Kluge told a news briefing.
"At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasts that more than 50 percent of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next 6-8 weeks," Kluge said, referring to a research centre at the University of Washington.
Fifty out of 53 countries in Europe and central Asia have logged cases of the more infectious variant, Kluge said.
Evidence, however, is emerging that Omicron is affecting the upper respiratory tract more than the lungs, causing milder symptoms than previous variants. But the WHO has cautioned more studies are still needed to prove this.
