New Zealand / Covid 19

Covid-19 update: No new community cases as vaccine programme continues

17:51 pm on 21 February 2021

There have been no new community cases and just one imported case of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, as the roll-out of the vaccine in this country continues this afternoon.

Photo: AFP

In a statement, the Health Ministry said one previously reported case has now been reclassified as "under investigation", so the total number of active cases in New Zealand remains at 51 and the total number of confirmed cases is still 1994.

The Ministry said the full travel history of the one new case in managed isolation was still being invesitagted, but they arrived in New Zealand on 16 February.

There have been no community cases since Friday, when a household contact of three previous community cases in Auckland tested positive.

The Ministry said all close contacts associated with the Auckland community cases have returned negative results.

"We do remind all students and staff at the school to please stay home and have a test if they haven't already. School is expected to return on Monday 22 February. Close contacts at the school will not be able to return until they have been advised by public health that they can."

The latest numbers have been released as the government's Covid-19 vaccine roll-out continues to gain momentum.

About 70 Jet Park workers were yesterday the first in the government's plan to vaccinate 12,000 managed isolation, quarantine and border workers in the next few weeks.

More Auckland border workers are getting the vaccine today, with Wellington staff receiving it tomorrow. Hundreds of port and maritime workers will also start getting their inoculation shots tomorrow.

They will need a second shot of the vaccine within 21 days.

Assistant Secretary of the Maritime Union Craig Harrison said the vast majority of port staff were welcoming the chance to be vaccinated.

However, some were worried about how quickly their families would be vaccinated against Covid-19.

"The biggest thing is how they roll it out around the country and reach all the workers and their extended families," Harrison said. "Our members are more concerned to make sure their families get vaccinated at the same time."

The Ministry said there were 7392 tests processed on Friday and the total number of tests processed in New Zealand laboratories is now 1,658,429.

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