Covid-19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Whanganui DHB vaccine rollout nears 50 per cent

Whanganui DHB's Covid-19 vaccine rollout is expected to pass the 50 per cent mark on Tuesday. Photo / NZME

The Whanganui District Health Board is nearing the halfway mark of its vaccination rollout, with the milestone expected to be reached at some point on Tuesday.

The DHB has so far delivered 54,481 total doses of the Covid-19 vaccine - just over 49 per cent of the total doses required to reach 100 per cent coverage in the community.

On Monday, 459 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered, with a number of smaller vaccination centres joining the DHB network as of this week.

The Stewart Street GP practice in Marton began vaccination this week and East Care in Whanganui East is "in the pipeline", according to the DHB.

GP clinics in Bulls and Taihape are also running their own vaccination programmes.

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Meanwhile, testing in Whanganui rose again on Monday after slowing down over the weekend.

A total of 60 people were swabbed for Covid-19 on Monday - a significant jump from the 11 tested on Sunday, and the 20 tested on Saturday.

The jump comes after director general of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield urged anyone in the community with Covid-19 symptoms to seek a test, regardless of if they think it's the virus or not.

The DHB continues to offer the same advice, with the main drive-through testing facility on the grounds of Whanganui Hospital open between 8am and 5pm each day.