default-output-block.skip-main
National | 1pm Update

34 new community cases; Waikato and Northland updates

Photo / File

There are 34 new community cases today, the Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

31 of the new cases are in Auckland and three in Waikato. All the new Waikato cases are linked to the initial Hamilton East case.

23 of the new Auckland cases have been linked to the current Delta outbreak and 11 are still being investigated.

There are 26 cases in hospital,  three in North Shore, 13 in Middlemore, eight in Auckland, one in Waikato Base Hospital and one in Palmerston North, the ministry said. Seven cases are in ICU or HDU.

There have been a total of 1,527 cases in this Delta outbreak.

The Health Ministry said there have been no unexpected wastewater detections in the last 24 hours. However, it said there had been new detections in Hamilton and Palmerston North on 6 and 7 October.

Waikato update

"The new cases in Waikato are linked and is a contact of an existing case. Interviews are continuing to determine any further contacts or locations of interest, the ministry said. 

"There continues to be a strong response to calls for testing in Waikato with 5000 swabs taken yesterday. There are pop up testing sites operating today at Claudelands, Te Rapa, Karapiro, Raglan and Kawhia. The existing testing centre at Founders Theatre is also open.

"Further details on exact locations and hours of testing sites are available on the Healthpoint and Waikato DHB sites.  

"The Ministry of Health urges anyone in the Waikato with any symptoms that could be COVID-19 to get a test.  

"Waikato turned out in record numbers yesterday to get vaccinated with 9,946 doses given, with large increases seen in rural areas. 78.2% of people in the Waikato have now received their first dose and 52.6% are fully vaccinated. A big thank you to everyone who came forward.
 
"Alert levels for the whole of the Waikato will be reviewed again on Monday."

Update on Auckland case who travelled to Northland

"The case reported 7 October, who recently travelled to Northland, remains in an Auckland quarantine facility.

"A second person, who is thought to have travelled with this case, has not yet been able to be contacted, the ministry said.

"The case was under investigation after returning a weak positive result from a test in Whangarei earlier this week and Friday returned a positive test result in Auckland.

"Public health staff continue to work closely with the case to determine any locations of interest or exposure events associated with the case. Public Health staff are also working closely with Police to identify possible locations or areas of interest.

"As these become available they will be added to the Ministry's website as quickly as possible. We ask people to check these regularly, especially if you have visited, or live in Auckland, Waikato or Northland.

"Anyone in Northland who is symptomatic or has visited a location of interest or been in an area of interest at the times specified should get tested and isolate until they receive the result."