There were 113 cases of Covid-19 in the community today, down from yesterday’s record high of 206 - New Zealand’s highest number since the pandemic began. Video / NZ Herald
There are 113 new cases of Covid-19 in the community and a record 74 patients in hospital with the virus.
Five of those people are in ICU or a high-dependency unit.
Of those in hospital, 25 are in North Shore Hospital, three are in Waitakere Hospital, 22 are in Middlemore and 24 are in Auckland Hospital. The average age of the patients is 51.
Of today's cases, 109 are in Auckland, three in Waikato and one in Northland.
There have been positive wastewater results across Auckland including in Oneroa on Waiheke Island and in Waiuku in the south of Auckland, both on November 2.
There are currently 1886 people isolating at home in Auckland, including 816 Covid cases across 661 households.
The Ministry encouraged anyone in Auckland to get tested if they had even the mildest symptoms, were fully vaccinated, and had been isolating at home.
Counties Manukau DHB on verge of 90%
Yesterday 10,996 vaccines were administered in Auckland including 2,238 first doses during the "Got ya Dot" campaign designed by rangatahi Māori to appeal to the 12-34 age bracket with youth-tailored vaccination centres in operation across Auckland.
Counties Manukau, one of the three District Health Boards in the Auckland region, is on the verge of hitting 90 per cent milestone for first doses. There are only 192 first jabs to go before that point is reached.
The other two DHBs in Auckland have already surpassed the 90 per cent milestone.
Across the country, 74 per cent of eligible Māori have had a first dose and 57 per cent are fully vaccinated, while 87 per cent of Pasifika people have had a first dose and 72 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Across New Zealand there were 33,867 vaccinations yesterday including 7,401 first doses.
As announced yesterday, there were unexpected wastewater detections in Stratford on November 2, Gisborne on November 1 and 3, and Napier on November 3. The latest test results for Hastings and Wairoa (returned yesterday), and Huntly are all negative.
Anyone in those areas - including people who may have travelled outside the area recently - is urged to get tested if they have symptoms.
One of today's three cases in the Waikato was reported yesterday but included in today's official tally. The other two are from Hamilton and Ōtorohanga. One was a known contact of previous cases and was already isolating; links for the second case are still being investigated.
Both Covid-19 patients in Waikato Hospital yesterday have now been discharged.
There are now 18 cases in Northland. The person whose infection was reported today is a contact of a case in Kaitaia and has been isolating at home.
Anyone who lives around Taipa, Kaingaroa, Awanui and Kaitaia and has had Covid symptoms in the past fortnight is encouraged to get tested as soon as possible. There were 665 tests done in Northland yesterday and 1,256 vaccinations including 371 first doses.
Those involved in a tangi in Porirua on Wednesday are being encouraged to get tested for Covid.
"A public health assessment is that the risks to the wider public are low following reports of a person who had tested positive in Auckland last month and who travelled from Auckland to Porirua. They are assessed as unlikely to have been infectious as they travelled at the very end of their 14 day quarantine period," the Ministry said.
Yesterday's cases
Health teams announced 206 new cases yesterday, including 200 in Auckland, four in Waikato and two in Northland.
A third case in Northland was identified later in the afternoon.
Jason Waitoa was among more than 130,000 jabbed during the Super Saturday Vaxathon last month. Photo / Andrew Warne
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this morning confirmed Aucklanders will be able to "travel through summer" and be reunited with families over Christmas.
However, exactly how that will happen and when, including if vaccinations will be required remains unclear.
It comes after a week of mixed messages over the logistical challenge faced with moving roughly 40,000 Aucklanders across a border, and into areas with lower vaccination rates, at the busiest time of the year.
The city also remains locked off from Waiheke Island, which is highly dependent on tourism and Aucklanders over the summer period.
Speaking to Q+A's Jack Tame, Ardern said it was "admittedly a tricky transition period".
"The thing that we've been absolutely clear around is that we will have Aucklanders able to travel through summer and they will be able to reunite with family for Christmas."
What would make the process simpler would be if each district health board reached the 90 per cent full vaccination, and the Covid protection framework, or traffic light system, would be implemented where hard borders were not required.
"We're working it through. But we are committed to people being reunited over this summer period," Ardern told Q+A.
Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and the Gisborne region also remain on alert after the virus was detected in wastewater systems, while health teams are urging anyone at a tangi in Porirua led by gang members to get tested.
