Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Virus cases grow as New Zealanders get boosted over the weekend

A record 810 new cases were recorded yesterday, as thousands of New Zealanders got their booster shots over the weekend.

While cases were recorded across the country, Auckland remains the epicentre for the Omicron outbreak.

The location of new community cases is: Northland (13), Auckland (623), Waikato (81), Bay of Plenty (11), Lakes (11), Hawke's Bay (8), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (6), Taranaki (5), Tairawhiti (3), Wellington (15), Hutt Valley (10), Nelson Marlborough (2), Canterbury (3), South Canterbury (2), Southern (14).

The 810 cases was a significant jump from Saturday's previous daily record of 454 cases.

"The sharp increase in new cases today is another reminder that, as expected, the highly transmissible Omicron variant is now spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries," the ministry said.

"Our expectation is that cases will continue to increase over the coming weeks and we're asking people to do all they can to slow the spread of the virus and protect themselves and their whānau."

There are 32 people in hospital, the Ministry of Health said this afternoon.

Of those who have been hospitalised, 27 are in Auckland. There are also single cases in Whangarei, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch. There are no patients in ICU.

Another 49,523 people got their booster shot on Saturday, slightly down on the previous day. However, in total, 1,891,241 booster doses have been administered, or 59 per cent of the eligible population.

A total of 214,000 New Zealanders have so far got boosters during the ministry's week-long Big Boost campaign.

Meanwhile, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall has announced the booster roll-out in all aged residential care facilities has been completed.

"Older New Zealanders living in aged-care facilities are some of the most vulnerable groups so the completion of the booster rollout in all aged-care facilities prior to an Omicron outbreak means we are well prepared," Verrall said.

She said 99 per cent of people over 65 are full vaccinated, with 85 per cent also having received the booster dose.

"In addition to boosters, we are also bolstering testing of staff in aged residential care when we move to Phase 2 and we will ensure that anyone working or living in these facilities with symptoms will be prioritised for a PCR test to protect high-risk residents."

Restaurants, flights bars and other locations across the country were identified as locations of interest.

Among the locations were a number of domestic flights.

Anyone who travelled on Flight JQ292 from Queenstown to Auckland on February 7 and was seated in rows 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 must self-isolate.

The same advice goes to anyone who travelled on Flight JQ258 from Wellington to Auckland on the same day, and was seated in rows 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13.

In Queenstown, a bar called Zephyr had been visited twice last week in the early hours of Monday and Wednesday morning.

People who have been exposed are asked to record their visits online or call Healthline.