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Covid-19 update: 215 community cases in New Zealand today

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission.

There have been 215 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, including 181 in Auckland, 18 in Waikato, three in Northland and 12 in the Bay of Plenty

Covid-19 corona virus macro 3d illustration
Photo: 123rf.com

At today’s media conference, where major changes to the country’s MIQ system were revealed, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there are 87 people in hospital, with eight people in intensive care.

The Ministry of Health said 118 of today’s 215 new cases are yet to be linked.

The 12 new cases today in the Bay of Plenty bring the region’s total number associated with this outbreak to 53. Six of the cases are known close contacts and were already in isolation.

The three new Northland today cases include two in Kaitaia and one in Whangārei. The Whangārei case and one of the Kaitaia cases are close contacts of existing cases and were already isolating.

There was also one new historical case in Christchurch today. They are no longer considered infectious and are a close contact of a previously reported case.

There are no additional cases to report today in Lakes, MidCentral, Wairarapa or Wellington.

Yesterday 215 new community cases and one death were reported. Of those, 196 were in Auckland, 11 in Waikato, four in Northland, one in Bay of Plenty, two in Lakes and one in MidCentral that was announced the previous day.

There was also one new case reported in managed isolation.

There have now been 7484 cases in the current community outbreak and 10,241 since the pandemic began.

There were 18,880 vaccine doses given yesterday – 6496 first doses and 12,384 second doses. The Ministry of Health said 92 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 84 percent are fully vaccinated.

More than 1,664,000 million requests for a My Vaccine Pass have been processed.

Plea for way home for hundreds of Tongan seasonal workers

By
Kalino Latu
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

Hundreds of Tongan seasonal workers from the RSE scheme are stranded in New Zealand and desperate to get home.

Sēfita Hao’uli

Before the pandemic, more than 14,000 horticultural workers a year were coming to New Zealand to take part in the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, mostly from Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati.

But some of those workers have been caught in New Zealand when their home countries closed their borders against Covid-19, and have been unable to fly home.

Regional Seasonal Employer liaison officer Sefita Hao’uli said some of the Tongan RSE workers are looking at their third Christmas stuck in New Zealand and separated from their families.

He has written to members of Tonga’s newly elected parliament pleading for them to sort out the repatriation system between New Zealand and Tonga.

The Tonga government postponed all repatriation flights after a person who arrived from Christchurch last month tested positive for Covid-19.

But Hao’uli said there should still be repatriation flights exclusively for the RSE workers.

“This came to a head last week when we had the repatriation flight that was supposed to have gone back on the 23rd, it was deferred to the 30th because the virus showed up in Tonga with the last repatriation flight.

“After all this time we think that it can be done a lot better than what is happening.”

Two men arrested with cocaine, 700 rounds of ammunition in Vava‘u

By
Kaniva Staff
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Two men have been arrested following a police operation in Vava’u during which cocaine, firearm and ammunitions were seized.

Vava’u Police station

A 49-year-old male from Ta’anea was arrested with 254.72 grams of cocaine at Neiafu on Sunday, 14 November 2021, police said in a statement.

Police also arrested a 38-year-old male with a .22 long rifle and more than 700 x .22 ammunition on Tuesday, 23 November 2021.

Both suspects are in police custody while police investigations continue.

“I take this opportunity to acknowledge members of the community who have been helpful to Police in providing timely information.” Said Detective Acting Deputy Commissioner Halatoa Tāufa.

“The nation’s fight against illicit drugs to create a drug-free Tonga is possible only through our collective efforts.”

Meanwhile, an appeal by the two foreign nationals who were arrested in Vava’u in August 2021 and charged with possession of a substantial quantity of cocaine was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Ian Robin Cox and Brenda Cox appealed against the decision in the Supreme Court at Vava’u on 8 October 2021 whereby Justice Cooper refused to extend the applicants’ bail as earlier granted by the Magistrates Court and remanded them in custody pending their trial , which has been tentatively listed to commence in May 2022.

The couple were charged after a raft carrying ‘bricks’ of cocaine washed up on ‘Otualea beach in Vava’u.

Police claimed that in the week of 19 July 2021 , the cocaine was found by Nōmani Naeata who then distributed it to various individuals including the couple.

The Coxes were granted bail to appear before the Supreme Court in the said proceedings, as and when required, on the following conditions, namely:

(a) they must not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment;

(b) they must not leave Vava’u without a court order;

(c) if they have not already done so, they are to surrender their passports to the Court registry in Vava’u forthwith;

(d) their names are to be added to the no-fly list;

( e) they are to report to the Neiafu Police Station once a week; and

(f) Mr Cox is granted permission to travel to Tongatapu for work purposes, during which , he is to report to the Central Police Station in Nuku’alofa once each week.

Covid-19 update: One death and 215 new community cases

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

There are 215 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

In a statement, it also said a person has died from Covid-19 in Auckland City Hospital. The patient was in their 50s and was admitted to hospital on 17 November.

“Our thoughts are with the patient’s whānau and friends at this deeply sad time.”

It also said there are 88 people in hospital including six in ICU.

Of the new cases today, 196 were in Auckland, 11 in Waikato, four in Northland, one in Bay of Plenty, two in Lakes and one in MidCentral that was announced yesterday.

All four cases announced in Northland today are linked to existing cases. One case is in Whangārei and three are in Kaikohe.

A case in Whangārei Hospital has been discharged.

In Waikato, six of the 11 cases today are still to be linked to existing cases. Six cases are in Huntly, three from Kawhia, one from Te Kuiti and one from Ōtorohanga.

In Tauranga, one close contact, of a Covid positive person who visited a Tauranga retirement village, has returned an initial negative test.

Three cases are at the border, including one historical case.

The number of active cases being managed is 6450.

And as at 10am this morning, there are 153 locations of interest.

Flourish logoA Flourish data visualization

To date, 91 percent of people have had their first dose (no change from yesterday) and 84 percent of people have had their second dose.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced that New Zealand would move into the Covid-19 Protection Framework (also known as the traffic light system) from 11.59pm on Thursday 2 December.

She also said hairdressers and barbers in Auckland would be permitted to open from this Thursday, provided they required proof of vaccination from customers.

Ardern urged the fully-vaccinated to download their vaccine passes.

As of 10.30am this morning, more than 1,470,000 requests for a My Vaccine Pass has been processed, the ministry revealed.

Flourish logoA Flourish data visualization

The ministry also said that dialysis patients were now eligible to get the booster Pfizer vaccine, due to being immunocompromised.

New recommendations have been released on the Ministry of Health website determining who is eligible to receive a third shot.

In October, a third primary dose of the vaccine was recommended for people who are severely immunocompromised because they are at higher risk of sever outcomes from Covid-19.

Yesterday saw 205 new community cases and the death of a man in his 40s reported.

Thirty of those cases were outside Auckland, with 20 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, four in Northland and one in Taupō.

Flourish logoA Flourish data visualization

Explained: What the traffic light system is and how it works

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

On 3 December, the country will leave behind the alert level system which has been in place since early 2020 and move into the traffic light system.

No caption

File image. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the move today, saying the most important thing to communicate about the traffic light system was “for the most part, if you’re vaccinated, you can go about doing all the kinds of things you’d usually expect … what varies is just how large those gatherings are at different levels”.

So what is the traffic light system – formally the Covid-19 Protection Framework – and how does it work? Here are the basics:

The system will involve three settings – green, orange and red.

Vaccine levels will play a key determining factor for which regions go into red and which go into orange on 3 December, Ardern said.

“We will look at … vaccine rates, we will look at case rates, and that will be the major determining factor but we’ll also be pragmatic. So you know, a good indication is if you’ve hit 90 percent first dose is a good indication of where you’re heading.”

“If you want to be guaranteed that no matter the setting that we are in, that you can go to bars, restaurants and close-proximity businesses like a hairdresser, then you will need to be vaccinated,” Ardern told media in October.

Back then, Ardern also said the vaccination certificates would allow businesses to be able to open and operate at any level.

Red

The red setting will allow hospitality to open with vaccine certificates, but gathering limits, physical distancing, masks and other public health measures would be used.

Record keeping and scanning will be required, with face coverings mandatory on flights, public transport, in taxis, retail, and in venues.

Public facilities can open with up to 100 people and 1m distancing. Retail needs to have 1m distancing too.

People are advised to work at home, but ECEs, schools and kura can open with public health measures.

Some outdoor community events will be allowed with limited capacity.

No caption

Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod

Orange

At orange, gathering limits can lift. Places that choose not to use vaccination certificates will either be closed or have public health measures in place.

There will be no limits for the following if vaccination certificates are used: Hospitality, gatherings (weddings, worship, marae), events, close contact business, gyms.

Without the use of certificates, hospitality and gatherings will have limits applied

Without the use of certificates, events, gyms and close contact businesses will not be able to operate.

No caption

Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod

No caption

Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod

Green

Green is when there are some Covid-19 cases in the community but at low levels.

Fully vaccinated people can enjoy all events and hospitality and gatherings by showing a vaccine certificate.

Premises choosing not to use certificates will face restrictions similar to the current alert level framework.

No caption

Photo: RNZ

No caption

Photo: RNZ

Live: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern provides post-Cabinet update

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission.

New Zealand will move into the Covid-19 traffic light system at 11.59pm Thursday 2 December, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

At a post-Cabinet briefing this afternoon, Ardern said “The hard truth is that delta is here and it is not going away”.

“And while no country to date has been able to eliminate delta completely once it’s arrived, New Zealand is better positioned than most to tackle it because of our high vaccination rates and the inbuilt safety measures in the traffic light system like vaccine passes.”

The government will provide extra guidance for businesses to prepare. An assessment toolkit will be released for those businesses wanting to require their staff to be vaccinated.

Legislation will be introduced and passed this week to enable that, Ardern said.

Tomorrow, the verifier app for businesses that require proof of the vaccine pass for entry will be launched.

Businesses will not be required to use it, but it will be useful, she said.

Guidance this week will also set out how businesses can operate safely under the traffic light system.

From this Thursday, hairdressers and barbers in Auckland will be able to open if they require proof of vaccination from customers.

Some 83 percent of eligible New Zealanders are fully vaccinated. Ardern says if all those people who are now overdue for their second shot got it today, that number would rise to 88 percent fully vaccinated.

Earlier today, Ardern told Morning Report she was confident that district health boards will be able to cope with Covid-19 pressures over the summer.

Ardern said when the government considers alert levels on 29 November, it will be considering regions’ likely status over summer as well as their vaccination rates.

Meanwhile, Covid-19 modeller Shaun Hendy told Morning Report he would prefer Auckland to remain at level 3.2 until the new traffic light system is introduced, rather than moving to level 3.3 which would see the hospitality sector reopen.

Hendy said it could be quite confusing to move Auckland to level 3.3 this week and then maybe next week move to the traffic light system and vaccine passes.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during the daily 1pm Covid-19 update on 5 October 2021.
File photo: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Photo: Pool / Stuff / Robert Kitchin

Covid-19 update 22 November: 205 new community cases of Covid-19, 1 death

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

There are 205 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today and a person has died from the coronavirus.

In a statement the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Counties Manukau Health reported the death of a man in his 40s at Middlemore Hospital.

“No further information will be released until conversations with the man’s family have concluded. Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends at this deeply sad time.”

Of the new cases, 175 were in Auckland, 20 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Taupō and four in Northland.

Another case in Palmerston North was not included in today’s figures as it was recorded after the morning cut-off for reporting. It will be recorded in tomorrow’s figures.

There are 85 people in hospital including six people in ICU.

In addition, the MOH said 91 percent of eligible people in New Zealand had their first dose and 83 percent were fully vaccinated.

So far, more than 1.1 million My Vaccine Passes have been created.

There are also changes to saliva testing requirements.

“The ministry has updated the position on the use of saliva for diagnostic testing for Covid-19, based on an updated review of the evidence and results of testing in New Zealand,” the MOH said.

“This means saliva testing for surveillance purposes for some groups of workers can be reduced from twice weekly to once a week, and there is no need for a follow-up nasopharyngeal swab to confirm a positive saliva test result.”

Yesterday there were 149 community cases of Covid-19 reported, nine of them were outside Auckland with six in Waikato, two in Bay of Plenty and one in Canterbury.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today said that she was confident district health boards would be able to cope with Covid-19 pressures over the summer.

Gov’t agrees in principle to sell Lulutai airlines to Flyniu

By
Kaniva Staff
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The government has reached an in principle agreement to sell the national airlines to the privately-owned Flyniu airlines.

Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa (L), ‘Atu Fīnau

The agreement is subject to an assessment of the Flyniu proposal by the new government.

If all goes to plan, the Flyniu is expected to go ahead with the purchase early next year.

The interim-Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa had indicated early this month in an e-mail seen by Kaniva News the Lulutai airlines was available to be purchased by Flyniu.

It is understood the government was looking for buyers and companies with interests in operating the flight services.

Tu’i’onetoa previously said the government took over the airlines from Real Tonga Airlines to make sure the flight services continued to serve the kingdom after the airlines ceased operation last year and most of its staff and assets were taken over by the government.

A Flyniu spokesperson Semi Halanukonuka told Kaniva News this morning they are expected to operate from Vava’u.

The deal came after a number of meetings and unsuccessful attempts by the Flyniu authorities to convince the former government they can do the job well after the company was kicked out of the kingdom in 2004. The throw out came about after the then government introduced its one-airline policy giving the right to operate the local flight services to the late king George V’s airline company.

The founder of Flyniu ‘Atu Fīnau is now the chief executive officer of the Air Vanuatu airlines.

In a story published by the Vanuatu Business Review last week it said Air Vanuatu was in good financial position and it could pay back its loans despite the global financial crisis caused by the pandemic which hugely affected the airlines industry.

The vanuatu Finance Minister Johnny Koanapo was quoted as telling parliament Air Vanuatu has been paying off its debt of over VT1 billion (NZ$152,160) to creditors, which existed before the pandemic.

“The company is still not free from debts, but I believe it is doing its best to recover its debts.”

COMMENTARY Party MPs, independents and Nobles prepare to make deals and form alliances to elect PM

By
Kalino Latu
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COMMENTARY As Parliament prepares to elect a Prime Minister, three groups look set to dominate the race for the premiership.

Fale Alea ‘o Tonga. Photo/Tonga Broadcasting Commission

As the horse trading and deal making begins, there are no certainties, but some intriguing possibilities about how it might play out.

Former Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa was returned to parliament with seven MPs altogether, including him and Viliami Hingano, the Ha’apai governor who is now an MP. They have enough number to unite with the nine noble MPs as they did before and form the government. The new government only needs 14 MPs. This leaves the remaining nine new MPs to seek five other MPs so they can themselves form the government.

We are yet to confirm whether or not any legal promises were signed by Tu’i’onetoa’s PAK party when they formed in 2019 obliging his Ministers  and the nobility to stand together with Tu’i’onetoa if they were re-elected.

The Tu’i’onetoa faction could also work together with the new independent MPs and form the government themselves. There are independent MPs likely to align themselves with the Tu’i’onetoa group like Dr ‘Aisake Eke.

PAK Party

The Prime Minister and his Ministers did not promote their PAK Party during the campaigns. Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said in one of his official livestream programmes days before the elections that  they did not promote it because they wanted the people to elect whoever they wanted. His announcement implied that his PAK party would only name its members after the elections, meaning they would promote it among the elected MPs before forming he government.

Nine Independent MPs

On the other hand, there is a strong group of nine independent new MPs which consists of what has been regarded as one of the most well educated and hard working members of Tonga’s working elite.

This includes three MPs who hold Doctor of Philosophy qualifications and a well-known businessman Tēvita Puloka. Some held top offices in government for years.

These nine MPs also include PTOA MPs Saia Piukala, Veivosa Taka and Sēmisi Fakahau. However, these PTOA MPs political stance is not seen as hardcore, meaning they can work with anyone, even the Noble MPs. This group could form a government by making a deal with only five Noble MPs or even the Tu’ionetoa MPs if they are not still loyal to him.

Tu’i’onetoa group could elect new PM

Tu’i’onetoa’s group could also dump the nobility and stick with the other nine independent MPs. So at the end of the day it appears there is no possible kingmaker at this point because the two groups of people’s MPs have the numbers and could either unite with the Tu’i’onetoa’s or the nobility.

One group belongs to Tu’i’onetoa, one group belongs to the nine independents and the other is the nobility. Could this be the first time the nobility split and support two groups in their race for the Prime Ministership? Or could the Tu’i’onetoa group unite with the independents and form the government without the nobility? There is even the possibility that the members of PAK could do their own deal with the nobles or the nine independent MPs and elect somebody else besides Tu’i’onetoa as Prime Minister.

Whatever the outcome, we can expect many splits, fractures and unexpected alliances from these groups before a Prime Minister is chosen and Parliament resumes.

Murder investigation underway after man, 22, dies in Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission.

The death of a 22-year-old man in Auckland on Sunday afternoon has prompted police to being a homicide investigation.

Middlemore Hospital
The man died at Middlemore Hospital. Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly

In a statement, police said the man was dropped off at a Takanini medical centre about 12.45pm with critical injuries.

He was taken to Middlemore Hospital, where he died from his injuries shortly later.

Police are investigating how the man was injured and to identify who dropped him off at the medical centre.

Anyone with information that could assist police enquiries is asked to get in touch via 105.

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