Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Health officials to give update on case numbers as Govt plans for Omicron outbreak

Health authorities are due to give the latest on the country’s Covid situation – including the number of new cases in the community and at the border, as well as how many young children have received their first jab.

The information will be released via a statement to media at 1pm.

It comes as health officials review the current traffic light settings that were designed with Delta in mind because Omicron is a “different beast”, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said this morning.

Working from home and lowering the number of people allowed at gatherings are all back on the table as the Government plans for an inevitable Omicron outbreak.

The number of community cases being identified have remained in the double digits for some time now, with yesterday’s seven-day rolling average of community cases standing at 22.

There were 16 new cases of Covid-19 in the community reported yesterday – seven people in Auckland, six in the Lakes district and one each in Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and the West Coast.

In comparison, those testing positive for Covid at the border continue to climb, with 42 cases reported yesterday.

The number of people now caught up in the current community outbreak is 11,322.

Health officials also revealed that a total of 545 people make up the number of active cases in the country.

Today’s figures are also expected to report the number of children who took up the vaccine on the first day of the rollout.

Yesterday saw the Pfizer vaccine being made available to some of our youngest generation – children aged 5 to 11.

The ministry said more than 120,000 doses of the child vaccine were delivered to about 500 vaccination sites around New Zealand.

Jezelle Clark, 8, gets her Covid shot at the vaccination centre at Papakura Marae yesterday. Photo / Dean Purcell

The demand was high yesterday; as seen by the huge turnout at various vaccination sites which led to long delays and complaints from parents and caregivers.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said: “It’s encouraging to see this strong start to the rollout and extra resources are being deployed to the busiest sites to reduce queues as much as possible.”

Meanwhile, seven household contacts of an MIQ worker who tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid over the weekend have all returned one negative test result.

All those contacts remain in isolation and will undergo further tests, the ministry said.

A total of 67 close contacts have been linked to the worker, who is a staff member at the Stamford Plaza Hotel in downtown Auckland.

Of those close contacts, 43 people had returned negative results as of yesterday.

“Auckland Regional Public Health is continuing to work with MIQ staff to look for any possible routes of transmission between returnees at the Stamford Plaza and the MIQ worker. Additional testing is being arranged for MIQ staff at this facility.

“Additional whole genome sequencing of other positive returnee cases at the Stamford Plaza is also being completed to provide further information for the source investigation.

“As we have done previously, our objective is to stamp out and prevent any onward transmission.”

A number of Auckland locations of interest linked to that MIQ worker have also been updated on the official website.

Auckland locations of interest linked to Omicron case updated

11am update

– Gateway Wholesale Meats Takanini: 108 Great South Rd, Takanini, South Auckland
– Shosha Takanini: 108 Great South Rd, Takanini
– The Warehouse Takanini: 30 Walters Rd, Takanini

The Gateway Wholesale Meats on Great South Rd, Takanini, was visited by the infected person last Tuesday, January 11, between 3.42pm and 4pm.

“This exposure is linked to an Omicron case,” the Ministry of Health says.

Anyone who was there during that time is told to monitor their health for 10 days after being exposed and to get tested immediately if symptoms develop.

People are reminded that they must stay home until a negative result comes back.

Shosha Takanini has also been identified as a location of interest last Monday, January 10, between 6.03pm and 6.15pm.
The Warehouse Takanini – on Walters Rd – is linked to a positive Omicron case there last Wednesday, January 12,

The same advice is being given to members of the public who were at those stores during the affected times – monitor your health for 10 days and if symptoms start to show, get a test immediately.