Second Auckland Airport worker tests positive; Palmerston North case has Omicron; 9 new cases in Nelson. Video / NZ Herald
A Chemist Warehouse and a supermarket are the latest Auckland location of interest to be identified.
Pak'nSave Manukau is the most recent location of interest. A Covid-19 case visited the supermarket on Wednesday from 7.58pm and 8.30pm. Shoppers during this time are being asked to self-monitor for symptoms.
Anyone who visited the Chemist Warehouse in Manukau on January 11 between 1.37pm and 2.27pm is being asked to self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms.
"Self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result."
The Chemist Warehouse in Manukau is a new location of interest. Photo / Google
Earlier today, SkyCity Casino was added to the growing list. An infected person was there on Tuesday between 12.23am and 2.23am.
Health officials' advice to anyone who was there is to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days after exposure.
A Rotorua bus route was also added to list this afternoon.
Earlier today, people who were at a popular West Auckland restaurant were being told to self isolate and get a Covid test immediately after being linked to a person infected with the virus.
Gengis Khan on Lincoln Rd in Henderson has been identified as a location of interest.
People who were there four days ago have been deemed to be close contacts of a Covid case.
"Self-isolate, test immediately and on day five after you were exposed at this location of interest.
"Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health," the Ministry of Health said.
Gengis Khan Henderson, on Lincoln Rd, in West Auckland has been linked to a person with Covid-19.
It is not yet known whether the Covid-infected person there at the time - between 6.40pm and 9.45pm on Monday (January 17) - has tested positive for the Omicron variant.
The second place of interest named by health officials this morning is the Wild Child & Wild Families Kirks Bush Papakura.
A person with Covid was there last Saturday (January 15) between 8.27am and 12pm.
The same advice is being given to anyone who was there during that period: self isolate immediately and get a Covid test.
Health officials initially said only those who had been sitting inside the cafe were close contacts and should self isolate and get tested immediately; while those who were outside were casual contacts who should monitor their health for 10 days.
However, authorities later said yesterday that people were sitting outside should do the same as they too are now considered to be close contacts of the Omicron case.
1800 daily cases in just six weeks projected in Auckland Omicron outbreak
But it is expected to be a rapid rise and fall, and with less of an impact on the hospital system than the Delta outbreak, leading modeller Dr Gary Jackson to label it "moderately reassuring".
However, the Counties Manukau DHB's director of population health's comments come with the caveat that vaccination rates and boosters must continue to rise, and people - as has occurred thus far - continue to adhere to restrictions under the traffic light system.
Meanwhile, another modeller working on a yet-to-be-completed nationwide project says those models could be on the conservative side, with potential for up to 10,000 Omicron cases a day across the country and the risk of overwhelming the health system.
There are currently just five cases of Omicron suspected to have been in the community.
However, the number of Omicron cases at the border continues to rise: 440 have been reported since December, compared to 32 of Delta.
"A level we have not experienced before"
With the highly infectious variant sweeping the globe, Jacinda Ardern yesterday said it was a matter of when, not if, there was an outbreak here.
Modelling she had seen was highly variable, but cases would be at "a level we have not experienced before".
Despite this, Ardern ruled out a return to lockdowns and instead said the Government would shift the entire country to the red setting within 48 hours in the event of an outbreak.
