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34 new community cases today

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 27 Dec 2021, 1:13PM
(Photo / NZ Herald)
(Photo / NZ Herald)

34 new community cases today

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 27 Dec 2021, 1:13PM

There are 34 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today. 

Among the new cases, 21 are in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in Bay of Plenty, three in Lakes and one new case in Canterbury. 

There are now 41 people in hospital, including eight people in intensive care units. 

Auckland's Middlemore Hospital has the most patients, with 21, with Auckland Hospotal has 15 and Tauranga has five. 

In addition, there have been four new cases of the highly infectious Omicron variant detected at the border. 

The total number of Omicron cases at MIQ facilities now stands at 49. 

Overall, there were 10 cases detected at the border over the past 24 hours. 

They included six arrivals in Auckland and four who are staying at MIQ facilities in Christchurch. 

Four of the people who tested positive at the border arrived from the United States on Christmas Eve, while three others arrived from Australia on the same day. 

In addition, there was an arrival from the United Arab Emirates on December 21 who tested positive after the routine day three test and an arrival from Singapore on Christmas Eve. 

After taking a brief break for Christmas - lumping two days worth of new Covid-19 cases into one report yesterday - the Ministry of Health's daily report is set to return to normal this afternoon. 

Today's 1pm release comes in the wake of 126 new community cases announced on Boxing Day, as well as a warning from health officials that attendees of a South Auckland Christmas party last week need to get tested. 

Yesterday's two-day total included 88 community cases in Auckland, 17 in Waikato, six in Bay of Plenty, 13 in Lakes, and one each in Taranaki and Northland. 

There were also seven new cases of the highly infectious Omicron variant detected at the border, bringing the total Omicron cases in MIQ facilities to 45. 
 
As of yesterday, 47 people were battling Covid-19 in hospital, with seven of them in an intensive care or high dependency unit. Most of the patients were at hospitals in the Auckland region, but there are two in Waikato and four in Tauranga. 

Health officials also turned their focus yesterday to a Christmas party on Thursday in Ōtara. A guest at the party, held at East Tamaki Community Hall, has since tested positive for Covid-19. 

Everyone who attended the gathering between 4pm and 11pm is now considered a close contact. 

As such, health officials are asking them to self-isolate and get tested immediately, as well as on day 5, which will be tomorrow. 

Yesterday's report saw barely a trickle of Covid-19 jabs - not entirely surprising as vaccination centres were closed for Christmas Day. 

Five people got their first jab and 52 got their second, while 49 got a booster and one had a third primary dose, according to the Ministry of Health. 

However, there was still a major vaccination milestone to report, with 80 per cent of eligible Māori now fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 

As of yesterday, 454,492 Māori had received their second dose. 

Both the Waikato and Hawke's Bay regions have also now reached the 90 per cent goal for eligible residents who are double-vaxxed. 

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