Covid 19 Omicron: 509 new community cases in Northland

Covid-19 testing at Pohe Island, Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte

There are 509 new Covid-19 cases in the Northland community today, bringing the total number of active cases to 4956.

Whangārei recorded 255 cases today, followed by 204 in Far North and 50 in Kaipara.

Six people are currently in hospital, the updated Northland District Health Board report says.

Ministry of Health reported 17,522 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand and 696 people in hospital, including 13 people in intensive care.

The district health board noted the published daily Covid-19 new cases in Northland in total and location breakdown by Territorial Local Authority were notified by the Ministry of Health.

Any variance between the MOH and DHB reporting will be because of different data reporting cut-off times.

Meanwhile, 90 per cent of the Northland eligible population - 87 per cent of Māori and 99 per cent of Pacific people - have received at least one dose.

As of Monday morning, 88 per cent of the Northland eligible population - 82 per cent of Māori and 97 per cent of Pacific people - are fully vaccinated.

NAD_positive_cases

Less than 5 per cent (76) of tamariki between the age of 5-11 are fully vaccinated and 32.3 per cent (6265) have had their first dose.

Vaccinations are available today at district health board sites in Kaitāia (Matthews Ave - until 3pm); Kerikeri (Sammaree Pl - until 3pm); Dargaville (Normanby St - until 6pm), and Whangārei (Northland Events Centre - until 5pm).

A list of today's vaccination times, as well as Māori provider vaccination details, are available on the Northland DHB website.

Bookings are compulsory for people seeking the AstraZeneca vaccination.

Testing is available throughout the region. However, the district health board has said people wanting a Covid-19 test at a community testing centre will be screened upon arrival to determine which test is most appropriate.

They advised people may be given a rapid antigen test (RAT) instead.

Testing centres open today until 3pm are Kaitāia (Matthews Ave); Dargaville Hospital; Whangārei (Winger Cr & Pohe Island); and Kerikeri (570 Kerikeri Rd).

In the last 24 hours, 4,752 PCR tests were processed across the country. The PCR test rolling average for the seven day period to March 3 is 14, 397.

In the last seven days, 9.7m RATs have been dispatched.