Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: Auckland remains epicentre as cases grow across the country

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As Covid-19 continues to spread across the country, Auckland remains the epicentre with over 1400 active cases across the region's three DHBs.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health announced there were 204 new community cases of Covid-19.

Community cases were reported in Northland (8), Auckland (135), Waikato (35), Lakes (2), Bay of Plenty (11), Taranaki (1), MidCentral (2), Wellington (3), Hutt Valley (3), Nelson Marlborough (1) and Canterbury (3).

People out and about in Auckland's CBD wear face masks, but 1218 people in the region are isolating at home. Photo / Dean Purcell

However, New Zealand's largest city remains the epicentre.

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Counties Manukau DHB has the highest number of reported cases with 892, while Auckland DHB has 302 and Waitematā currently has 220.

In total, there are 2209 active cases - which are cases identified in the past 21 days and who have not yet recovered.

As cases grow in Auckland, 1218 Covid cases in the region are currently isolating at home.

Two Auckland gyms were among the latest places to be identified as a location of interest on Wednesday night.

F45 and Snap Fitness in Takanini were visited by an infected person over five days in early February.

Anyone who was at these gyms during the specified time are considered close contacts and must self-isolate and get tested.

Sixteen people are in hospital with Covid-19. Of those, four are in North Shore, seven in Middlemore, two in Auckland, one in the Bay of Plenty, two in Rotorua and one in Christchurch.

Three people were also arrested after a small group attempted to breach gates set up on the Parliamentary forecourt as a barrier to the main buildings.

Overall, across all ethnicities, 96 per cent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, 94 per cent have received two, and 53 per cent of those due have had their booster.

On paediatric vaccines, 43 per cent of eligible children aged 5-11 have received their first dose of vaccine.