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National | Booster

25 community Covid cases; no one in intensive care

The Ministry of Health is reporting 25 new Covid-19 community cases as the entire country adjusts to the red setting of the Traffic Light System.

Some 50 new cases have been detected at the border and all are in quarantine and managed isolation.

Of the new community cases, four are in Northland, 13 in Auckland, four in Waikato, one each in Lakes and MidCenral, and two in Nelson/Tasman regions. One of the Nelson cases was announced yesterday and added to today's tally.

In addition to the community cases reported today, there are two confirmed historical border cases in Canterbury.

The ministry also says there are 19 community cases of Covid-19 associated with the January Omicron cluster to date, all of which are in isolation. There are eight being reported today.

The two Nelson/Tasman cases are of the highly transmissible variant and are contacts of existing cases. Five cases are in Auckland linked to one of the earlier reported family events, and one additional case in Palmerston North. The Palmerston North case is an already isolating household contact and is linked to the previously reported Palmerston North Omicron case.

New approach to gene sequencing

Prioritisation for whole-genome sequencing has been amended to determine links for any unlinked positive cases in the community. The ministry says the new approach will detect any cases of Omicron as quickly as possible, establish links to existing cases and slow the spread of the virus. Whole-genome sequencing will also be prioritised for any positive cases in border-related workers and their families.

Further locations of interest have been identified for Auckland and the Nelson/Tasman regions. These will be updated on the ministry's website as soon as they are confirmed, and the ministry is encouraging people to check the website regularly.

Rest home closed to visitors

The four new Northland cases are in Kaitaia and are all contacts of previously reported cases. One case reported last week in the region has been admitted to hospital.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 676 people in Auckland to isolate at home, including 157 cases.

Residents and staff of an Auckland aged residential care facility, called Summerset by the Park Rest Home Flat Bush, have been tested for Covid-19 after a worker who tested positive was linked to the current Omicron outbreak. The rest home is now closed to visitors. Anyone who visited the rest home since Tuesday, January 18 is asked to monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days after exposure, and are being asked to test and stay home if symptoms develop until they return a negative result.

The new Waikato cases are all linked to previously reported cases. Two are from Hamilton, one in Atiamuri and one with location under investigation.

In the Lakes region, the new case is in the Rotorua District, linked to a previously reported case.

Hospitalisations are now at 10 today. Five are in North Shore, two in Auckland, and one each in Middlemore, Rotorua and Northland hospitals. There is no one with Covid-19 in intensive care or high-dependency units. Two of the hospitalisations are unvaccinated or not eligible, none are partially immunised, five cases are fully vaccinated at least seven days before being reported as a case and one is unknown.

The ministry says over one million booster doses have been administered to date, 57% of those eligible to get a booster. More than 100,000 5-to-11-year-olds have now either had or are booked to have their first dose of the paediatric (child) vaccine, about 23 percent of the age group.