There are 80 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today.

As at 10am, 34 of these cases are linked - including 16 household contacts - and 46 remain unlinked, with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the outbreak. 

Today’s cases
One previously reported border case has been reclassified as ‘not a case’ and has been removed from our total case number.

Blenheim update
Interviews are continuing today with the individual who is a positive COVID-19 case and who is currently in isolation in Blenheim. The individual is unvaccinated.

Two Blenheim-based household contacts have returned negative tests and are also in isolation.

Initial case interviews suggest the case is linked to the Te Awamutu cluster and has a small number of close contacts in Waikato.

These people have been contacted and are currently isolating with tests arranged.

People living in Nelson-Marlborough, in particular, are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health’s locations of interest page, which is regularly updated.

We are also asking residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms – no matter how mild – to please get tested, even if they are vaccinated.

Today testing is available at:

-        Blenheim CBAC: Horton Park, off Redwood St - Open 9am to 5.30pm
-·        Nelson CBAC: Saxton Field parking area, Suffolk Rd, Stoke - Open 10am to 6pm

Yesterday, there were 144 tests processed in Marlborough.

Additional testing capacity in the area will be stood up, if needed, and details will be available on the Healthpoint website.

Northland update
Today we are reporting one new case in Northland, who is linked to the four Northland cases announced yesterday.

This individual was tested as a close contact of the previous cases confirmed yesterday.

People living in Northland are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health’s locations of interest page which will be regularly updated.

Anyone who visited these locations of interest at the specified times is asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and if any develop, get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received and they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.

Yesterday there were 1,082 tests processed in the region. There were 1,134 vaccinations in Northland yesterday – of these vaccinations, 508 were first doses, and a further 626 were second doses.

Additional testing in the area has been arranged and is available here:

-        Kaitaia – Kaitaia Hospital – open 9am to 4pm
-        Hokianga - Rawene Hospital – open 9am to 2pm
-        Mangamuka – 8 Mangamuka Road – open 11am to 2pm
-        Kaikohe – Main Street, Kaikohe - opposite Mobil – open 9am to 2pm
-        Kerikeri – 1 Sammaree Place – open 9am to 4pm
-        Dargaville – Dargaville Hospital – open 10am to 3pm
-        Whangārei – 20 Winger Crescent – open 9am-4pm

Update on Waikato case who travelled to Hawke’s Bay
As we reported yesterday, public health officials have concluded their investigations into a Waikato case who travelled to Hawke’s Bay and returned a positive COVID-19 result following their arrival back in the Waikato, however we are asking people in Hawke’s Bay to continue to check the Ministry of Health’s Locations of Interest page for the next few days.

One location of interest, Kmart Napier, has been identified and anyone there between 3:53pm – 5:13pm on Friday 15 October is asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and if any develop, get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received and they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.