Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Two Westbrook School students test positive for Covid-19

A Covid-19 testing station in Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner

Two students at a Rotorua primary school have tested positive for Covid-19.

The news comes as 1573 new community cases have been reported in New Zealand today - 1140 of them in Auckland, the Ministry of Health says.

There are 35 new cases in the Lakes District Health Board area, and 29 in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area.

Sixty-three people are in hospital with the virus - none in intensive care. They are in hospitals in Auckland, Rotorua, Tauranga, Waikato, Wellington and Tairāwhiti.

Westbrook School principal Colin Watkins told the Rotorua Daily Post he was notified of the cases this morning by family members.

Two classes had been sent home and were now isolating, he said.

"We consider all of those kids in the class to be close contacts. They have all gone home and they are isolating."

The school remains open and Watkins had made contact with parents this morning, he said.

"We are putting all the necessary procedures in today ourselves. We are just going to monitor it on a daily basis."

He said prior to finding out about the cases students had been learning in "year level bubbles" and separated during class and break times.

"We are trying not to have the kids mixing so there is no cross-contamination at morning tea and lunch. We are hoping to contain within those two classes."

Rotorua Girls' High School also had students isolating after a student at school last week tested positive for Covid-19.

More than 40 students and about three staff members were close contacts.

Principal Sarah Davis said the school pastoral care systems were "up and running" and they had made contact with affected whānau.

She said it was "fortunate" the infected student had only been at school for two days.

It was important the wider school community knew the school remained open and health measures remained in place.

"It is a learning curve - but it is one that we are prepared for."