Source: Covid-19 New Zealand Government Announcements
Update from the Ministry of Health
Omicron BA.5 variant update
A further 2 people who have travelled from overseas to New Zealand have been confirmed as having the BA.5 variant of Omicron.
Both people travelled to New Zealand and subsequently returned a positive RAT and PCR results. Whole genome sequencing subsequently confirmed the BA.5 variant. Following the first BA.5 case reported on Sunday, there are now 3 people who are confirmed to have the variant, all of whom travelled from South Africa.
Both BA.4 and BA.5 have been reported in Southern Africa and Europe, and both variants have been detected in Australia. The arrival of the BA.5 sub-variant in New Zealand is not unexpected.
At this stage, the public health settings already in place to manage other Omicron variants are assessed to be appropriate for managing BA.5 and no changes are required.
The BA.5 Omicron subvariants is being monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It can take weeks or months to assess the severity of each new variant or sub-variant, so the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the emerging evidence closely.
COVID-19 deaths
Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 2 people with COVID-19.
These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 862 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 15.
Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, 1 person was from Wairarapa and the other was from Whanganui.
Both were male and in their 80s.
This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this time.
Out of respect, we will be making no further comment.
Read the full update on today’s cases | health.govt.nz (external link)
