There were six new cases of Covid-19 in Bay of Plenty and two in the Lakes District Health Board area yesterday.
One of the BOP cases was in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and five in the Western Bay of Plenty.
Following initial investigations, three cases were deemed linked to existing cases. Interviews with the remaining cases to determine any possible connections were ongoing.
The ministry also reported a case that was tested and was currently located in the Tauranga area. This case was officially transferred to Tairāwhiti's case numbers because they have a permanent Tairāwhiti address.
Contacts were being identified and would be called and given testing and isolation advice.
Both Rotorua cases were household contacts of existing cases.
There were 58 new cases in New Zealand yesterday with 48 in hospital and seven in ICU.
One case was in Tauranga Hospital.
There are several new locations of interest for the region. Click here.
Holiday reminder
People should stick to the basics to reduce the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19 over the Christmas and New Year break, the ministry says.
That means wearing a mask or face covering and physical distancing in crowded or unventilated spaces and scanning in using the Covid-19 Tracer app or keeping a manual diary.
As always, people who have any symptoms that could be Covid-19 are asked to get a test and stay at home until they receive a negative result.
Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.
Concern for Murupara
A health provider is offering "a whole range of services" to a community with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country to stop the spread of Covid-19.
There are currently four cases in the small Bay of Plenty town.
Murupara was ranked 2144 out of 2156 statistical area 2s, according to the ministry. A statistical area 2 was similar to a suburb.
Just over half - 51.6 per cent - of Murupara's eligible population was fully vaccinated and 67 per cent had had their first dose, according to ministry data. Data also showed 48.9 per cent of its Māori population was fully vaccinated.
In Murupara, local iwi health provider Te Ika Whenua Hauora was managing testing and vaccination with support from the DHB. A testing centre had been opened and details were available on the Healthpoint website.
Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Charitable Trust chief executive Dr Chris Tooley said the trust was "concerned" about the positive cases in Murupara and was working with iwi there to help get people vaccinated.
The trust had "a whole range of services" in Murupara for swabbing, testing, delivering welfare and hardship support, and extra vaccination mobile teams.
The clinical teams provided normal GP services, as well as swabbing, testing, vaccinations and helped monitor those who were self-isolating by making sure they were not getting worse or needing to go to hospital.
"We're expecting those that do have to self-isolate can actually just isolate at home under the right conditions with all the right support and as long as we're monitoring them, hopefully, we won't get too many cases that need to go through the hospital."
Tooley said clinical teams were providing support to Covid cases and ensuring their welfare at home was okay.
"We're minimising contacts and doing all of the extra support that [is] required especially during this time of the year when everyone wants to be together and enjoy the company of family."
Tooley said Covid cases in the Eastern Bay were "always going to be a concern" because their vaccination rates were lower.
"We've just got to keep pushing and keep doing what we're doing."
Bay of Plenty DHB Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said the DHB was focusing on giving unvaccinated people a range of opportunities to get their shot before Christmas.
It was working with Māori and iwi hauora providers and collaborating on initiatives with community-led groups including door knocking, and mobile vaccination teams heading to rural areas and connecting with whānau that experience multiple barriers to accessing good healthcare.
"The vaccine rollout is a community effort and we all have a role to play. If you haven't already had your vaccine, please seek trusted information about the protection the vaccine offers us ... If you've already had your vaccination, have the kōrero about the vaccine with those who haven't. Think of your whānau and how we can protect our community from Covid-19."
He said the DHB was on track to hit a 90 per cent full vaccination rate by the end of the year.
In October, the trust's chief operating officer Lee Colquhoun said it wanted to increase vaccination rates in Murupara and it would go there for the next eight weeks to "really try to prioritise some of these small areas".
It also had a pop-up clinic in Murupara on Super Saturday in October.
Testing is available at the Murupara Community Based Covid-19 Testing Station, 45 Pine Drive
Monday to Friday 9.30am to 2.30pm this week.
Wednesday to Friday 9.30am to 2.30pm next week.
Wednesday to Friday 9.30am to 2.30pm following week.
