Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: More than 6000 new cases, NZ to move to phase 3 of Omicron response

There are 116 new cases in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area and 75 in the Lakes District Health Board area today.

There are 6137 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today including 205 in hospital and two in ICU.

There are six cases in Tauranga Hospital and four in Lakes DHB hospitals.

Toi Te Ora-Public Health today reported 90 new cases in Tauranga City, 73 in Rotorua District, 10 in Western Bay of Plenty, six in Whakatane District, three in Kawerau, one in Ōpōtiki and five in Taupō.

Toi Te Ora said with differences in reporting systems, report timeframes, and as case information was updated there may be some discrepancies in numbers such as with Ministry of Health data.

One person with Covid-19 has died in Middlemore Hospital. The family has requested that no further details be released and, out of respect for those wishes, we will be making no further comment, the Ministry of Health said.

There are several new locations of interest for the region.

Rotorua centre runs out of Rapid Antigen Testing

The Rotorua Community Testing Centre has run out of Rapid Antigen Testing.

In a social media post this afternoon, Lakes District Health Board said the testing centre remained open for PCR testing only today.

"We will re-open tomorrow with expected RATs, however, we will be in phase 3 so only household contacts of positive cases need to be tested. Close contacts will no longer need to isolate or be tested," the post said.

The Taupō testing centre remains open for both RATs and PCR testing.

Lakes DHB testing centres:
• Rotorua Community Testing Centre. Open 8.30am to 3pm. Behind Copthorne Hotel, entrance from Ward Ave

• Taupō Community Testing Centre. Open 8.30am to 3pm. 79 Miro St

Move to phase 3 of Omicron response tonight

New Zealand will move to phase 3 of the Omicron response at 11.59pm Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.

Hipkins confirmed the new high case numbers meant New Zealand will move to the third phase of the Omicron response.

"Phase three won't mean any sudden lurch in terms of personal movements or restrictions."

Hipkins said safety, without major disruption, was a major priority.

"It will only be confirmed cases and their household contacts who will be required to isolate."

Rapid antigen tests will be available at thousands of sites nationwide.

"And we've got millions more of them arriving in the coming days."

Rapid tests should be available to buy at retail outlets from next month.

The new phase would also focus more on self-notification, in other words, the onus will be on positive cases alerting their household contacts.

Anti-mandate protest action

Meanwhile, anti-mandate protest action is now being planned around the country as the activity on Parliament grounds enters day 17.

The Freedom and Rights Coalition revealed on Facebook this morning - as part of a national campaign to "March Out these Mandates" - they intend to walk over the bridge as part of the Auckland demonstration.

The group, connected with Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church, are also advertising protest action to take place in Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch.

It follows clashes between police and protesters in Wellington on Wednesday night after the removal of at least one concrete bollard near the site of the occupation to let vehicles back in.