NZ has recorded its highest one day total of new community cases of Covid-19.
The Ministry of Health says there are 206 new Delta cases today. Two hundred are in Auckland, four in Waikato, and Northland has two new cases. The total number of community cases in this current Delta outbreak is now 4,240.
In a statement Saturday, the ministry said the record cases are "a reminder of the infectiousness of Covid-19, and particularly the Delta variant, and the importance of vaccination as the number one protection against the virus."
The Waikato cases are all in Hamilton. Two were known contacts already in isolation and the ministry says Public Health is investigating links for the other two cases.
The two new Northland community cases are both close contacts of Kaitaia cases and have been isolating at home, the ministry said.
Since the ministry's statement, Northland DHB has released an update, reporting one further new case in Northland, making it the third reported case since Friday afternoon. The case is linked to the Kaitaia cluster and is a close contact of a person from that group. This brings the total number of Northland cases in this current outbreak to 18 cases.
Northland DHB also confirmed that further testing of samples from the recent Mangamuka and Hokianga cases has established a link with an Auckland case.
"Those who live in or around Taipa, Kaingaroa, Awanui and Kaitaia and have had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last couple of weeks, are encouraged to get tested as soon as possible," Northland DHB said.
There are 73 cases in hospital. Twenty-five are in Waitematâ, 21 in Middlemore, 26 in Auckland and one in Waikato. Seven are in ICU or HDU.
Wastewater
The ministry has confirmed positive wastewater detections in Stratford, Gisborne and Napier and says further samples will be collected over the next few days.
"At this stage, the detections are not linked to any known cases of COVID-19 which could indicate that there are undetected cases in these communities.
"We are asking anyone with any symptoms in these places – no matter how mild – to get tested, especially anyone who has travelled outside of these regions recently," the ministry said.
Porirua tangi
The ministry said those involved in a tangi in Porirua on Wednesday this week are being encouraged to get tested for Covid-19.
Wellington Regional Public Health's assessment is that the risks to the wider public are low, after reports of a person who had tested positive in Auckland last month travelling to Porirua.
"They are assessed as unlikely to have been infectious as they travelled at the very end of their 14 day quarantine period.
"However, in the absence of fuller information, they are recommending those linked with the tangi to be tested, particularly if they have symptoms."