The Ministry of Health has announced another record day of cases with 14,941 new infections and 305 people in hospital on Sunday.
A patient has also died with COVID-19, the ministry announced.
"Sadly, a patient passed away in a Northland hospital yesterday," the ministry said on Sunday. "The person died from an unrelated medical condition and had tested positive for COVID-19."
Meanwhile, police said there are growing concerns about the deteriorating environment at the anti-mandate protest in Wellington. A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged on Saturday night with inciting violence.
What you need to know:
- Cases in hospital on Sunday: total number 305 - 110 are in Middlemore, 100 in Auckland, 45 in North Shore, 34 in Waikato, five in Tauranga, three in Taranaki, three in Canterbury, three in Southern and two in Northland.
- Five cases hospitalised were in ICU on Sunday.
- There was a record day of cases in New Zealand on Sunday with 14,941 infections.
- Location of new community cases on Sunday (PCR & RAT test): 9046 are in Auckland, 1519 in Waikato, 981 in Canterbury, 812 in Bay of Plenty, 532 in Southern, 516 Capital and Coast, 373 in Hutt Valley, 208 in Lakes, 158 in Nelson Marlborough, 142 in MidCentral, 136 in Hawke's Bay, 100 in Taranaki, 69 in Tairāwhiti, 45 in Wairarapa, 44 in South Canterbury, nine in West Coast and five unknown.
- New Zealand is in Omicron phase 3 where only positive cases and household contacts are considered close contacts.
- Anti-mandate protests outside Parliament have entered day 20.
- There were "at least two" positive COVID-19 cases among the Wellington protesters, the Ministry of Health said earlier this week.
These live updates are now over
4pm - Wellington City Council says it's aware the protesters have constructed toilets on Molesworth Street, which are connected to a wastewater main.
"This is clearly an illegal connection - however given the volatility of the situation in the area around Parliament we have been advised not to put the health and safety of our staff at risk by the Police who are managing the situation on site," the council says on Twitter.
"We also note that the connection to the wastewater system means the sewage is not entering the harbour. We are discussing the issue with Police and other agencies and considering our options."
3:15pm - Public health officials say they are aware of seven COVID-19 cases connected to the Parliament protest.
"We are aware of three cases connected to the protests who have been hospitalised. Of these, two were hospitalized in the Wellington region, and one outside of the Wellington region."
2:45pm - The Auckland Domain remains closed to vehicles until further notice, because a small number of anti-mandate protesters have set up tents there and stayed overnight.
They moved there after thousands of people crossed the harbour bridge on foot yesterday, in a march organised by the Freedoms and Rights Coalition
Camping is not permitted in the Domain, which lies between the suburbs of Parnell and Grafton
Auckland Council director of customer and community services Claudia Wyss said it was working with event organisers on a safety-first approach.
She said there was no timeline for reopening at this stage and the council apologises for any inconvenience.
Read the full story here.
2:15pm - Over in Australia, Queensland has recorded a drop in COVID cases with 3571 new infections in the past 24 hours.
The drop in cases comes after Queensland announced 4838 COVID infections on Saturday.
Queensland Health said there was one coronavirus death on Sunday.
Hospitalisations have dropped in Queensland with currently 295 people in hospital, down from 341 on Saturday with 24 people in ICU.
There are currently 33,340 active cases in Queensland.
1:45pm - National says it's time to drop the isolation rules for incoming travellers.
The first step of the border re-opening will commence on Monday with Kiwis in Australia able to return to New Zealand and skip Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ). But incoming they will have to complete seven days in home isolation.
National Party Leader Christopher Luxon said with nearly 15,000 cases in New Zealand and only 41 at the border on Sunday, it's time to "re-engage with the world".
Here is the full statement:
"Travellers entering New Zealand should be able to enter the community immediately provided they have a negative Covid test on arrival," Luxon says.
"Under our new Omicron rules, only people with COVID and the people they live with have to isolate at home. But the Government is forcing everyone arriving into New Zealand - who have passed a pre-departure test - to isolate for seven days. It doesn't make any sense.
"People arriving into New Zealand should have to take a test on arrival. If positive they should isolate. If not then they should be free to go about their business.
"The current rule is an unnecessary requirement that serves as a massive hurdle for Kiwis wanting to come home to visit family, or tourists wanting to come to New Zealand.
"The Government should also speed up the incredibly slow timelines for the border re-opening. The border should be open right now for Kiwis anywhere in the world to return home, without going through MIQ. Then we should quickly open to tourists and other visa holders too.
"It is nuts that Aussies keen to come here for a long weekend have to wait until July and still have to isolate, and that other split migrant families must wait until the end of the year.
"MIQ made sense when the border was our best defence against Covid. But with almost 15,000 daily community cases of Omicron and just 41 coming through the border Kiwis are now far more likely to get Covid in the community than from international arrivals.
"These simple changes would kick-start tourism into New Zealand. Let's face it, very few tourists will travel here only to have to isolate for a week.
"Isolating ourselves has been challenging for Kiwis. From the families that couldn't see loved ones, to the hospitality businesses who don't have any international customers - Kiwis are hurting.
"It's time to re-engage with the world."
1:07pm - Here is the latest data from the Ministry of Health on the outbreak and vaccination campaign:
COVID-19 vaccine update
Vaccinations administered in New Zealand
- Vaccines administered to date: 4,019,173 first doses; 3,958,932 second doses; 33,413 third primary doses; 2,333,984 booster doses: 239,178 paediatric first doses and 3,072 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 353 first doses; 863 second doses; 80 third primary doses; 28,836 booster doses; 2,891 paediatric first doses and 370 paediatric second doses
People vaccinated (including those vaccinated overseas)*
- All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,062,733 first dose (96.5%); 4,000,856 second dose (95.1%), 2,335,644 boosted (70.1% of those eligible)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 519,022 first dose (90.9%); 498,265 second dose (87.3%), 197,125 boosted (58.9% of those eligible)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 280,655 first dose (97.9%); 274,556 second dose (95.8%), 119,203 boosted (57.5% of those eligible)
- 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 239,082 first dose (50.2%); 3,070 second dose (0.6%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 35,089 first dose (30.4%); 488 second dose (0.4%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 21,005 first dose (42.5%); 426 second dose (0.9%)
*Note, that the number for “people vaccinated” differs slightly from “vaccines administered” as it includes those that have been vaccinated overseas.
Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)**
- Northland DHB: first dose (90.3%); second dose (87.8%); boosted (68.5%)
- Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (67.3%)
- Waikato DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (66.3%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.1%)
- Lakes DHB: first dose (93.6%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (67.8%)
- MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.6%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.4%); second dose (90.7%); boosted (68%)
- Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.4%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (72.9%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (70.7%)
- Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (67.5%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95%); boosted (74.5%)
- Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.7%); second dose (97.9%); boosted (77.9%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (74.5%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (75.8%)
- West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.5%)
- Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.8%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (72.4%)
- South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.1%); boosted (74.6%)
- Southern DHB: first dose (97.9%); second dose (96.6%); boosted (74.3%)
**First and second dose percentages are for those 12+. Booster dose percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible three months after having their second dose.
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: total number 305: Northland: 2; North Shore: 45; Middlemore: 110; Auckland: 100; Tauranga: 5; Taranaki: 3; Waikato: 34; Canterbury: 3; Southern: 3
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 52
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 5
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (34 cases / 14.4%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (5 cases / 2.1%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (111 cases / 47%); unknown (48 cases / 20.3%)
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases (PCR): 6705
- Number of new community cases: 14,941
- Number of new community cases (PCR): 5,747
- Number of new community cases (RAT): 9,194
- Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (225), Auckland (9,046), Waikato (1,519), Bay of Plenty (812), Lakes (208), Hawke’s Bay (136), MidCentral (142), Whanganui (19), Taranaki (100), Tairāwhiti (69), Wairarapa (45), Capital and Coast (516), Hutt Valley (373), Nelson Marlborough (158), Canterbury (981), South Canterbury (44), Southern (532), West Coast (9); Unknown (5)
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 41
- Number of active community cases (total): 67,632 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 85,667
Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.
Tests
- Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 27,789
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 28,844
- PCR testing positivity (last 24 hours): 27.98%
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests stock available in New Zealand: 6.9 million (Please note that this number is not updated over the weekend and reflects the number of tests as of Friday.)
1:05pm - The ministry has provided an update on the booster:
More than two thirds of eligible New Zealanders have now had their booster, a huge step in the fight against the spread of Omicron in our communities.
Wild weather, traffic and queues didn’t deter the 70 per cent of those eligible – who have turned out at vaccination clinics across the motu over recent weeks. Credit also goes to our awesome team of more than 16,000 trained vaccinators who are doing the mahi.
We thank each and every New Zealander who has joined the fight so far, being boosted has increased their protection against severe disease.
With Omicron spreading rapidly in our communities, we encourage every remaining eligible person to get boosted. If you had your second vaccination at least 3 months ago and you’re 18 and over you can book online at www.BookMyVaccine.nz or visit a walk-in or drive-thru vaccination clinic. For a list of vaccinations centres visit Healthpoint.
Current cases
We are seeing that a large proportion of recent cases are under 30 years of age. In the past fortnight, of the 14,940 cases reported, 59% have been under 30 years of age and 12% over the age of 50. The two age groups with the highest percentage of cases are people aged between 10-19 years of age and those aged between 20-29 which account for 25% and 25% of cases respectively.
The opposite pattern is seen in those who are in hospital with COVID-19. Of the current 236 patients with COVID-19 in hospital in the Northern region (there are 305 in the whole country) there are 19% who are under the age of 30 and 54% over the age of 50. This reflects similar trends seen overseas where younger people, who are more socially active, often have higher infection rates, though it is the older age groups which are most likely to require hospital treatment from COVID-19.
We are also seeing a continuing spread of cases across the country. The three Auckland DHBs continue to predominate with the highest rates of infection in the country (Auckland 1,843 cases per 100,000 population; Counties Manukau 2,596 per 100,000 population and Waitemata 1,179 per 100,000 population. Other areas with higher rates include Southern with 929 per 100,000; Waikato with 913 per 100,000 population and Bay of Plenty with 759 per 100,000 population.
Death of a patient in Northland
Sadly, a patient passed away in a Northland hospital yesterday. The person died from an unrelated medical condition and had tested positive for COVID-19.
1:04pm - The Ministry of Health has announced another record day of cases with 14,941 new infections and 305 people in hospital on Sunday.
The Ministry of Health announced the death of a patient in Northland.
"Sadly, a patient passed away in a Northland hospital yesterday. The person died from an unrelated medical condition and had tested positive for COVID-19."
Of the new community infections, 9046 are in Auckland, 1519 in Waikato, 981 in Canterbury, 812 in Bay of Plenty, 532 in Southern, 516 Capital and Coast, 373 in Hutt Valley, 208 in Lakes, 158 in Nelson Marlborough, 142 in MidCentral, 136 in Hawke's Bay, 100 in Taranaki, 69 in Tairāwhiti, 45 in Wairarapa, 44 in South Canterbury, nine in West Coast and five unknown.
The ministry announced there are 305 people in hospital with five in ICU or HDU.
Of the 305 people in hospital: 110 are in Middlemore, 100 in Auckland, 45 in North Shore, 34 in Waikato, five in Tauranga, three in Taranaki, three in Canterbury, three in Southern and two in Northland.
There are 41 new COVID cases recorded at the border in Managed Isolation and Quarantine.
There were 27,789 PCR tests administered in the last 24 hours. The testing positivity rate over the last 24 hours is 27.98 percent.
12:51pm - Police have provided an update on the protest activity outside Parliament in Wellington saying they're "concerned" by the deteriorating environment.
Here is the full statement:
Police continued to be concerned by the deteriorating environment at Parliament grounds and are urging people to stay away.
Aggressive behaviour from protesters, extremely poor sanitary conditions, the confirmed presence of COVID-19, and the number of unwell people amongst the group all make for an unsafe, and unpleasant environment for anyone thinking of joining the activity.
Police have noted aggressive behaviour amongst protestors and towards Police.
Increasingly, key protest group leaders are unable to control or influence the disparate groups within the protest.
Last night, Police arrested a 35-year-old man inside Parliament grounds and charged him with inciting violence.
He is due to appear in the Wellington District Court next week.
Police maintain that the protest site is not a suitable environment for families and children.
We are urging people intent on attending the protest today or the coming week, to stay away, this is not a safe place.
We do not want more people joining this environment and putting their health and safety at risk.
Police will continue to have a highly visible presence in and around Parliament grounds to reassure local residents, businesses and people in the area today.
Police estimate there are about 300 vehicles inside the cordoned area this morning.
12:36pm - 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.
11:45am - In Victoria, they have recorded a drop in COVID cases with 5052 new infections in the past 24 hours.
The drop in cases comes after Victoria announced 5874 infections on Saturday.
Victoria Health said that there were 17 coronavirus deaths in the last reporting period.
Hospitalisations have slightly reduced with currently 274 people in hospital, down from 281 on Saturday with 38 people in ICU and five on a ventilator.
There are currently 41,038 active cases in Victoria.
11:09am - Over in Australia, New South Wales has seen a drop in COVID cases with 6014 new infections in the past 24 hours.
The drop in cases comes after NSW announced 7017 infections on Saturday.
NSW Health said that there were seven coronavirus deaths in the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm on Saturday.
Hospitalisations have slightly increased with currently 1146 people in hospital, up from 1130 on Saturday, with 58 in ICU.
10:37am - ACT Party leader David Seymour says it's time to move on from COVID rules that "don't make sense".
Appearing on TVNZ's Q&A, Seymour said the cost of stopping the spread and hospitalisations outweigh the benefits.
"Throughout this pandemic, we have said ACT is here to make constructive criticisms when necessary and helpful suggestions where possible," he said.
"Omicron is different, it spreads much faster so the cost of stopping the spread is much higher and the benefit of stopping cases are much lower.
"I know we are eager to stop hospital caseloads, I know that people are scared of the spread, but we've gone through each of the current policies and asked the simple question, do the benefits of reducing the spread and hospitalisations exceed the cost.
Seymour said that the current COVID rules should be "scrapped" as they're making very little difference.
"As you go through them, every business is required to display a QR code and you're legally supposed to scan in," he said.
"It's not making any difference, we should just dump it. MIQ, we have more cases than just about any other country and yet we are trying to lock them out for huge costs for tourism, to business and to separated families. We should just dump it because it's not making a difference.
"Vaccine mandates, I've been a very strong supporter of vaccines and still am but at this point, we have a 96 percent vaccination rate and they continue to exclude people from a whole range of life and is going to make very little difference whether they catch it.
"It may slightly delay when they catch it but it's not going to change the overall outcome and we have to ask ourselves why do we keep doing this to ourselves if it's not making a difference but it is imposing a cost.
"Let's take control back of our lives, let's move on from rules that don't make sense and start balancing some of those other needs that New Zealanders have that are mounting."
10:08am - The organiser of Auckland's pride march says yesterday's protest on the harbour bridge took place on the same day his event was supposed to happen - and was deeply frustrating.
About 1000 anti-mandate protesters aligned to Destiny Church's Freedoms and Rights Coalition walked across the bridge yesterday - blocking southbound lanes for half an hour.
Auckland Pride Festival executive director Max Tweedie said the decision was made in January to cancel the pride march because of the Covid-19 risk.
"We take our commitment to our community seriously, and not just to our Rainbow communities but the wider community.
"And obviously what we saw on the harbour bridge was a flagrant disregard for the restrictions that are put in place to keep people safe."
9:15am - In world COVID news, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dramatically eased its COVID-19 guidelines for mask wearing.
The easing of mask mandates is a move that means 72 percent of the population reside in communities where indoor face coverings are no longer recommended.
The new guidelines shift the focus from the rate of COVID-19 transmission to monitoring local hospitalisations.
"We're in a stronger place today as a nation with more tools to protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during a media briefing on Friday.
She cited the availability of vaccines and boosters, broader access to testing, the availability of high quality masks and the accessibility to new treatments and improved ventilation.
8:30am - Police say a small group of ant-mandate protesters remain at Auckland Domain after marching over the Harbour Bridge on Saturday.
Videos on social media show protesters in Auckland Domain putting up several tents.
Police and Auckland Council have been in talks with protest leaders, who had promised to leave by 9pm.
In a video, one protester claims to have mana whenua status and they are occupying a pā site at the domain.
Read the full story here.
8:04am - A COVID-19 modeller says New Zealand currently has one of the highest R-values in the world.
The reproduction rate of a virus is a measure of its transmission or the number of new infections generated by each case. The reproduction rate of 1, for example, means on average each infected person will infect one other person they come in contact with.
According to Rako Science, as of Sunday morning, New Zealand has an R-value of 3.74, meaning a person who tests positive for COVID-19 will on average pass it on to more than three people.
Out of more than 180 countries, New Zealand currently has the highest R-value, with Myanmar coming in second with a value of 3.19.
7:50am - The Cook Islands confirmed another positive COVID case on Saturday night (NZ time), taking the total in the country to 10.
The Cook Islands health ministry, Te Marae Ora (TMO), said that the new positive case was a close contact of case nine who had tested positive for COVID-19.
TMO said that the new positive case is one of the two household contacts of case nine. They were swabbed for a PCR test on Friday evening after it was confirmed that case nine had tested positive for COVID-19.
TMO said that the new positive case is triple vaccinated and currently asymptomatic, although they experienced a mild cough on Wednesday, from which they have now recovered.
Contact tracing has identified seven close contacts of the new positive case, including one existing household contact who is also a close contact for case nine.
7:44am - Kia ora, good morning, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak and the Parliament protest for Sunday, February 27.
