Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Three more deaths in Northland

Northland's Novavax rollout starts Monday. Photo / NZME

Three Covid-related deaths have been reported in Northland, the region's district health board says.

They come less than three weeks after a Northland man with Covid died from an unrelated medical condition.

Dr Ankush Mittal, public health medicine specialist at Ngā Tai Ora - Public Health Northland, said all three deaths were in the community and were people aged over 80.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the whānau and friends of those with Covid-19 who have recently passed away."

The three deaths in Tai Tokerau along with further 21 Covid-related deaths nationwide were notified on Wednesday afternoon.

It was not clear when these people died after authorities recently changed their reporting system.

"Delays to reporting can be associated with people dying with, rather than of Covid-19, and Covid being discovered after they have died," the Ministry of Health said.

Of the 24 people who died one was in their 40s, one in their 50s, four in their 60s, three in their 70s, eight in their 80s and six in their 90s. Eleven were women and 12 were men. The age for one person was not available.

Eight people died at aged residential care facilities.

Meanwhile, the Northland District Health Board reported 661 new cases of Covid-19.

Of these cases, 324 were in Whangārei, 263 in the Far North and 74 in Kaipara.

The Northland community now has 6371 active cases after 3685 people recovered from their illness.

Twenty-one people were in hospital, according to the Northland DHB.

The ministry said 25 Northlanders were in hospital.

Mittal strongly recommended Northlanders get vaccinated because Omicron was "spreading quickly".

"Getting vaccinated greatly reduces the chance you will become severely ill and require hospital care if you catch Covid-19."

Mittal said people who have had Covid-19 and who were not yet fully vaccinated should wait four weeks after recovering before getting a first or second dose; and three months for a booster shot.

The Northland DHB also announced that people could now book an appointment for a Novavax vaccine.

Appointments were available from March 21 in Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Whangārei and Dargaville.

Bookings were required via BookMyVaccine.

If people had Pfizer or AstraZeneca as their first dose, they would require a prescription from their GP to have Novavax as their second dose.

Novavax was not approved as a booster.