There are 201 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, including 15 in Waikato, one in Taranaki, four in Northland and the rest in Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Ministry of Health said 109 of today's cases are still to be linked. There have now been 755 unlinked cases in the past 14 days.
There are 85 people in hospital with the coronavirus, including three who still being assessed. Eleven people are in intensive care.
"We are very aware of the grief and hurt whānau who have recently lost loved ones to Covid-19 are experiencing. This is a serious virus and none of us can afford to underestimate it," Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay said at today's media conference.
She urged people whose relatives were being cared for in the community and felt their condition was deteriorating to contact someone as soon as possible.
"Hospital care is free, and ambulance services are free for those with Covid-19."
She said the deaths of people with the virus this week is tragic and "a very real reminder that the more people get Covid-19, sadly the more deaths we are likely to see".
She said it was a reminder Covid-19 can be fatal, and this was particularly true for those who have not been vaccinated.
There were 15 new cases confirmed in the Waikato overnight, including five from Ōtorohanga , three from Hamilton, three from Ngāruawāhia, two from Raglan and one from Te Kuiti.
Four cases have been linked to previous cases.
Three of the new Northland cases are known contacts of cases, with one person still to be interviewed. There have now been 39 cases in Northland in the current outbreak.
There was also one new case reported at the border, a traveller who had recently returned from the UK.
The six cases of Covid-19 in Stratford reported last night - most of which will be added to tomorrow's total - have sparked a renewed push for people there to get tested and vaccinated.
She said 86 percent of eligible people in Taranaki had received a first dose, with 73 percent having a second dose.
Dr McElnay said there were 3000 people isolating at home from 1382 cases across 929 households.
There have now been 5196 cases in the current community outbreak and a total of 7945 cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began.
Dr McElnay said a sample collected from Taupō on 8 November has tested positive for Covid-19. A further sample is currently being analysed.
"A positive wastewater test can sometimes result from an historical case who may continue to shed fragments of the virus for some weeks after their illness - even if they are not infectious."
There were 22,794 vaccine doses given yesterday - 6285 first doses and 16,509 second doses.
Dr McElnay said the Auckland health system can cope with the forecast cases.
"There are more than 1700 hospital beds across Auckland and more than 100 ICU beds."
She said overall hospital occupancy was about 86 percent, ICU occupancy at 70 percent and ventilator capacity about 15 percent. The ICU capacity changed daily depending on need and staffing, she said.
Dr McElnay said there were reports of health professionals being put under pressure to provide vaccine exemptions.
"There is a single national process with strict criteria and this is the only process that can be used. So please be patient and be kind to frontline staff. The application process and the criteria under which you can apply is on the Ministry of Health website."