By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.
There are 109 community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today.
Of the new cases 103 are in Auckland, 4 are in Waikato and there are two new cases in Northland.
As at 10am, 47 of these cases were linked and 62 remain unlinked, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
There are 35 people in hospital, down from 50 yesterday. Of those in hospital, 7 are in North Shore, 13 in Middlemore, 14 in Auckland, and 1 in Waikato.
In the last 24 hours, 24,343 tests have been processed.
Blenheim case
The ministry has confirmed the case who recently travelled to Blenheim spent the night at a residential address in Tokoroa before flying from Rotorua Airport.
Residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms, even if they are mild, are asked to be tested despite vaccination status.
The ministry says people living in Tokoroa and Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, in particular are asked to monitor the locations of interest.
Public Health officials are investigating whether there are any potential exposure events in the area, associated with this case.
Testing is available today and tomorrow in Blenheim at Horton Park, off Redwood Street until 5.30pm, in Nelson at the Saxton Field parking area in Suffolk Road in Stoke today and tomorrow until 4pm.
New Waikato cases
There are two new cases in Waikato other than the two Ōtorohanga cases first reported last night. One of the new cases is in Hamilton and one in Te Awamutu/Kihikihi.
They are known contacts of existing cases.
Anyone in Waikato with symptoms, or who may have been in contact with a case, is urged to get a test.
Ōtorohanga cases
Last night, the Ministry of Health also reported two new cases of Covid-19 in the Waikato town of Ōtorohanga and that early indications were they were close contacts of a previously confirmed case from Te Awamutu.
The ministry says they are now isolating locally in dedicated accommodation, with public health oversight.
Yesterday 80 community cases of Covid-19 were reported, but prior to that cases had been in the triple digits for three days with 104 community cases reported on Saturday, 129 cases on Friday and 102 cases on Thursday.
Of yesterday’s 80 cases, 25 have exposure events.