88% of eligible people now fully vaccinated; 90 community cases; 74 people in hospital, 6 in ICU

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

There were 24,142 total vaccine doses administered yesterday, including 4,387 first doses and 10,093 second doses. To date, 94% of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 88% are fully vaccinated.

Today’s statement is streamlined and slightly shortened to reflect the changing nature of the response.

COVID-19 vaccine update:

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,935,885 first doses (94%); 3,710,234 second doses (88%); 18,368 third primary doses; 123,479 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 4,387 first doses; 10,093 second doses; 6,757 second doses, 747 third primary does and 8,915 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 485,265 first doses (85%); 415,716 second doses (73%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 265,114 first doses (92%); second doses 243,440 (85%)
• Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)
• Northland DHB: First doses (87%); second doses (79%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (95%); second doses (91%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (86%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (84%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (82%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (85%)
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (87%)
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (82%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (85%)
• Nelson-Marlborough DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (87%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (92%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 74 (including 6 cases still being assessed) North Shore: 14; Auckland: 29; Counties Manukau: 28; Waikato: 1; Tauranga:1 ; Nelson-Marlborough: 1
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (37 cases / 57%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (12 cases / 18%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (12 cases/ 18%); unknown (4 cases / 6%)
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 51
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 6 (2 in Auckland; 2 in Middlemore, 1 in North Shore; 1 in Waikato)

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 113
• Number of new community cases *: 90
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 2
• Location of new community cases: Northland (3), Auckland (71), Waikato (9), Bay of Plenty (5), Lakes (1), Nelson-Tasman (1)
• Number of community cases (total)*: 9,354 (in current community outbreak)
• Number of active cases (total): 6422
• Confirmed cases (total)*: 12146
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): Updated figures unavailable

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total):: 7089
• Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 71%
• Percentage who have returned at least one result: 75%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 31392
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 27985

Wastewater

• Wastewater detections: See below

NZ COVID Tracer

• Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2790726
• Manual diary entries in 24 hours to midday: 44193

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 3929222
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 82097

*There have been four case reclassifications, one MIF case and three community cases, therefore the net increase in total cases is 88.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne wastewater

The virus has been detected again in a wastewater sample taken in Tairāwhiti Gisborne on 6 December. This follows positive detections on 1 and 2 December.

Two further samples will be collected this week.

Public Health Officials are not aware of any recovered cases in the region who may be shedding the virus. A third positive detection strongly indicates that there is at least one undetected case in the community.

Anyone living in the region with any symptoms that could be COVID-19 – no matter how mild – is encouraged to get a test.

Testing is available this week at the drive-through at 110 Peel Street:

• Today until 4pm
• Thursday 9 December (9am-12pm)
• Friday 10 December (9am-12pm)

Today’s cases

Today, we are reporting new community cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Nelson-Tasman.

There are no new cases to report in Hawke’s Bay, MidCentral, Whanganui or Canterbury.

A border-related case remains under investigation in the Southern DHB area.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated. Please remain isolated until you return a negative test result.

If you are not vaccinated, now is the time, as vaccination is your number one defence against COVID-19. Your DHB or local health provider will have plenty of opportunities to make this happen.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Northland

Today we are reporting one new case, a person from the Bay of Plenty who returned a positive COVID-19 test in Kaitaia. This case has been transferred to Bay of Plenty DHB and will be recorded in their case numbers once interviews have been completed.

Two further cases announced yesterday are counted in today’s numbers. They have both been linked to known cases.

Please keep checking the Ministry website for new locations of interest

Testing and vaccination sites open in Northland can be found on the Northland DHB website.

Auckland

Today, there are 71 new cases being reported in Auckland. 

A staff member at Ellerslie Gardens Aged Residential Care facility in Auckland has tested positive for COVID-19.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service and Auckland DHB staff are supporting the residents and staff at the privately-owned facility. 

Testing is being undertaken with residents and staff as part of the outbreak management plan.

There continues to be a daily review of testing numbers and testing locations to ensure good coverage of risk areas.  

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 3,112 people to isolate at home, including 813 cases. 

Waikato

There were nine new cases confirmed in the Waikato overnight, with six in Te Kūiti, one in Ōtorohanga, and two locations under investigation. All are under investigation for links to previous cases.  

There are 11 pop-up and dedicated testing sites operating across Waikato today in Hamilton, Ngāruawāhia, Ōtorohanga, Piopio, Thames, Taumarunui, Tokoroa, Putāruru and Te Kūiti.

There is one COVID-19 positive patient in Waikato Hospital ICU.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 109 people to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

Today we are reporting five new cases in Bay of Plenty – all are in the Tauranga area.

Public health staff are currently interviewing the cases to determine links to existing cases.

Contacts are being identified and will be contacted for testing and isolation advice.

If any locations of interest linked to the new cases are identified, they’ll be updated on the Ministry’s website. People are reminded to please check this website regularly if they live in or have visited the region recently.

Bay of Plenty DHB has added additional testing capacity in Tauranga and is urging anyone in the area, who may have any symptoms, to get tested. Updated locations and times of testing sites will be available on the Healthpoint website.

Lakes

There is one new case to report in the Lakes DHB region today. This case is in Rotorua.

Investigations are continuing today to determine any links to existing cases and any locations of interest.

Nelson-Tasman

There is one new case being reported in Nelson-Tasman today. This case is linked to an existing case.

This takes the number of active cases in the Nelson area to 20, after one case has recovered.

Locations of interest are regularly added to the Ministry’s website so people living in Nelson-Tasman are asked to keep checking for any updates.

Several pop-up testing sites are open in Nelson-Tasman today:

• Saxton Fields carpark, Suffolk Rd, Stoke, 9am to 6pm.
• Richmond Showgrounds, 359 Lower Queen St, 9am to 6pm.
• Motueka Recreation Centre: Old Wharf Rd, Motueka, 9am to 3pm.

Southern

There are no new cases to report in the Southern district today.

The one case we reported yesterday remains under investigation following yesterday’s negative repeat test.

Public health staff have identified 14 close contacts including a household contact. All contacts are currently isolating and will be tested.

The Green Lake Hut remains the only location of interest – details of this visit are on the Ministry’s webpage.

MIL OSI