There are 34 new community cases today, of which 23 have already been linked to the outbreak (of which 11 are household contacts) and 11 are still being investigated to determine how they are linked. All the new Waikato cases are linked to the initial Hamilton East case. 

The second case at the border was already reported on 16 September.  The case was then reclassified as under investigation and was today confirmed as a case.

 
White Sunday

The Ministry of Health is asking that the Tuvalu, Samoa and Tokelau communities, particularly in Auckland, please use online virtual services or to keep their services within approved bubble sizes when celebrating White Sunday or Lotu Tamaiti tomorrow.

Locations of interest  

Locations of interest (total): 267 (as at 10am 9 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.  

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 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.

Northland testing centres

Testing stations are open at six locations across the region. These are:

Whangarei – Rock and Roll car park, Pohe Island (9am – 4.30pm), Kamo, 20 Winger Crescent (9am – 4.30pm).

Moerewa – Simpson Park (9am - 1pm).

Kaikohe - Lindvart Park Pavillion, Penne Crescent (10am – 2pm).

Kerikeri – 1 Sammaree Place (9am-4.30pm)

Kaitaia – Kaitaia Hospital, 29 Redan Road (9am-4pm)

Bookings are not required for any of the sites. Over the last 24 hours to 8am, 672 tests were taken across Northland.
 
Northland vaccination

Northland DHB, local iwi and providers are are working hard to ensure as many Northlanders are vaccinated as possible.

Seven clinics are open for vaccinations today, at Kaitaia, Whangarei, Dargaville, Kerekere, Kaikohe, and Moerewa.