"As expected, the Omicron variant is spreading in our communities", with the Ministry of Health reporting 243 new community cases today and record booster vaccinations.
It is the second consecutive day cases have pushed past the 200 case mark, with 209 Covid-19 cases reported in the community on Friday.
Today's new cases are in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui and Wellington.
There are 26 new cases of the virus at the border.
The ministry says Friday was a record day for boosters with more than 66,000 given. This takes the total so far to more than 1.5 million, it says.
90 per cent (514,182) of eligible Māori 12 and over have now received their first doses of the vaccine and 86 per cent (488,653) second doses, the ministry says.
Ten people are in hospital today, whose average age is 60. Two are in North Shore, three in Middlemore, two each in Auckland and Rotorua, and one person is in Christchurch. One of the people requires intensive care or high dependency unit support.
Waitangi weekend reminder
If you are going away this Waitangi weekend, the ministry reminds travellers to have plans in place in the event you are identified as a close contact, get symptoms, or find out you have Covid-19.
"You are likely to need to self-isolate wherever you become a close contact or test positive, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for additional accommodation and changing your travel plans," the ministry said in their Saturday update.
Today's cases
The largest number of new community cases today are in Auckland, which has 165 cases. After this, Waikato and Northland have the second and third most cases.
There are 34 cases in Waikato today. Nineteen are in Hamilton, five in Ohaupo, two in Te Kuiti, two in Ngāruawāhia, one in Tirau, and the locations of the remaining six cases are still under investigation.
Today, Northland is reporting 21 new cases. These include 14 cases in Kerikeri, two cases in Kaeo, one case in Kaikohe, three cases in Whangārei, and one case in Taipa Bay-Mangōnui.
In the other DHB regions, Bay of Plenty has eight cases, Hawke’s Bay six, Tairāwhiti and Wellington two cases each, and Lakes and Whanganui both have one case each.