As New Zealand marks two years of living with Covid-19, there are 14,633 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, the Ministry of Health reports.
Photo: AFP
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there are also 344 cases in hospital and five in ICU.
The cases in hospital are in Northland (5), North Shore (53), Middlemore (128), Auckland (100), Tauranga (11), Taranaki (1), Waikato (28), Canterbury (4) Southern (4), Hutt Valley (6)Capital and Coast (3) and Tairawhiti (1).
The new community cases today are in Northland (208), Auckland (9,305), Waikato (1,530), Bay of Plenty (762), Lakes (265), Hawke’s Bay (138), MidCentral (175), Whanganui (30), Taranaki (67), Tairāwhiti (60), Wairarapa (52), Capital and Coast (604), Hutt Valley (281), Nelson Marlborough (178), Canterbury (573), South Canterbury (24), Southern (372), West Coast (3); Unknown (6).
There are also 23 new cases at the border.
Two years ago today, the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in New Zealand, in a recent returnee.
Meanwhile, the shift from MIQ to home isolation for vaccinated New Zealanders travelling from Australia began today.
Cabinet will discuss and make decisions about the https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/462411/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-on-government-s-response-to-ukraine-covid-19 future of border restrictions later today], Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Morning Report.
(L-R) Lesieli Filiai, Sēmisi Filiai and Director of Pacific Immigration Consultancy Koli Vānisi. Photo/Supplied
A couple who both have underlying health conditions including what is thought to be kidney renal cancer had been granted permanent residency in New Zealand.
Sēmisi Filiai, 57 and his wife Lesieli Filiai, 54, had been made residents last month.
Sēmisi came to New Zealand under a one year work visa in January 2012.
His wife Lesieli arrived later in June 2016. They overstayed their visa in 2019.
The couple sought the help of some immigration consultants to apply their residence visas but to no avail.
They finally enlisted the help of immigration consultant Koli Vānisi who successfully convinced the Immigration New Zealand that the Filiais should stay here permanently.
“The couple are so ecstatic knowing they could now continue to stay here,” Vānisi told Kaniva News.
He said there was nothing really concrete in the couple’s circumstances for him to make a stand against the immigration’s previous decision against them.
He said he received a letter from a specialist doctor which confirmed that Sēmisi needs to be here in New Zealand legally so that one of his kidneys could be treated.
Vānisi was no stranger to facing Immigration New Zealand against some of the hardest and rarest cases it had declined.
As we reported last year, Vānisi successfully appealed a declined residence visa application in which the Immigration New Zealand ordered 60-year-old Hailoa Tupoumālohi and her husband Afu’alo to leave the country. Hailoa was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure, and she was placed on haemodialysis treatment three times a week.
Vanisi represented Hailoa and her husband in their fight against Immigration New Zealand and the couple were finally granted residency.
Vānisi could be contacted on mobile phone 0212941443 or landline telephone 09 5250361 or email him at: koli@picsinfo.nz
There has been a record 14,941 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with 305 people now in hospital.
Photo: 123rf.com
In today’s statement, the Ministry of Health said the death being reported today was a person who tested positive for Covid-19 and passed away in a Northland hospital yesterday from an unrelated medical condition.
Of the 305 people now in hospital with the coronavirus, five are in intensive care. Most are in Auckland hospitals, although 34 people with Covid-19 are in Waikato Hospital.
The Ministry said 9046 of the cases reported today were in Auckland.
This is the moment a Ukrainian driver mockingly asks invaders if they need a ‘tow back to Russia’ after spotting their tank had broken down on a road en route to Kyiv.
The clip, shared widely across social media, appears to show an encounter between a group of Ukrainians and Russians who are said to be stranded at the side of a road outside of the Ukrainian capital.
The footage begins with the driver slowing down to a stop as he approaches the Russian tank, which has ‘broken down’ on the side of the road and waiting for diesel.
The Ukrainian motorist rolls down his window before jokingly offering to tow the troops back to Russia, prompting roars of laughter from all involved.
Hundreds of people, including Ukrainian former journalist Victor Kovalenko, took to Twitter to share a translation of the humorous exchange.
Fighting has raged on in and around major Ukrainian cities for a third consecutive day, as Kyiv’s defence ministry has so far put Russia’s losses at around 2,800 troops, 80 tanks, 516 armoured vehicles, and 10 airplanes and seven helicopters.
Intelligence experts have predicted Vladimir Putin’s £15bn-a-day war with Ukraine is no longer going to plan due to Kremlin ‘overconfidence’, poor tactical planning, and ‘shock’ at the fierce resistance put up by brave Ukrainians fighting for national survival.
The viral clip appears to show an encounter between a Ukrainian motorist and Russian soldiers who are said to be stranded at the side of a road after their tank ‘broke down’ outside the capital
The Ukrainian motorist rolls down his window before jokingly offering to tow the troops back to Russia, prompting roars of laughter from all involved
In the viral footage, the Russian troops are standing next to a tank which appears to have stopped on the side of the road.
As the driver approaches, he rolls down his window to check if they have broken down as the Russian troops reply and say they are ‘waiting for diesel’.
The quick-thinking motorist then mockingly asks: ‘Do you need a tow back to Russia?’, before there’s a loud outburst of laughter from the soldiers.
The Ukranian continues and asks: ‘Where are you headed? Do you know?’, which the Russians apparently reply and say they do not.
‘You’re heading to Kyiv. No one knows where they are or where they’re going,’ the driver says, before adding: ‘So far our side is doing better, your guys surrender well.’
Russian troops are now attempting to encircle Kyiv and are meeting stiff resistance. Top Russian targets likely include the Presidential Palace at the heart of the city, and one of the remaining airports after Antonov Airport’s runways were intentionally destroyed
The video marks the latest in a series of humiliating encounters for the Russian army as Ukraine continues its heroic stand against the invading force.
The Kremlin is understood to have been surprised at the strength of Ukraine’s resistance, with Putin reportedly calling an urgent meeting with his inner circle to complain that the invasion was no longer going to plan.
The Russian army has now been ordered to broaden its advance ‘from all directions’, after senior US defence officials claimed Russia is facing more resistance than Moscow anticipated in its invasion of Ukraine, including in its advance on Kyiv, and appears to have lost some of its momentum.
Estonia’s former defence chief Riho Terras has now claimed that Putin’s war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky’s government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days
Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around £15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.
He claimed that Putin’s plan has relied on panicking the country, firing missiles at residential buildings ‘at random’ to ‘intimidate’ the Ukrainians, trigger mass army desertions, national surrender, and Zelensky’s flight from the country.
Terras also alleged that Russian special operations have been near Kyiv since February 18, and had planned to swiftly seize the capital and install a puppet regime.
‘The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered. The Ukrainians must avoid panic! … Ukraine must stay strong and we must provide assistance!’, he wrote on Twitter.
Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has compared Ukrainians’ ordeal in the face of the Russian invasion to the kingdom’s traumatic experience in the wake of the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami.
(L-R) President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku
Hon. Sovaleni said the people of Ukraine’s dreadful situation was almost the same as what Tongans are currently trying to recover from.
He asked Tongans to pray for Ukrainians.
In Tongan he said: “Ka kou tui i he taimi tatau pe fakatauange pe mou kei lotu atu ma’a kinautolu ko ‘eni ‘i Ukraine he faingataa ko ‘eni tau ilo’i pe faingata’a ne hoko kia kitautolu ‘i he mo’ungaafi mo e sunami tau can only imagine ‘a e me’a ‘oku hoko kia kinautolu he tau ko ‘eni ‘oku hoko atu ‘i ‘Iulope”.
His comments follow condemnation of the invasion by other regional and international leaders.
Most of Kaniva News’ readers have rejected the Russian invasion.
Tonga’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine has been described as part of a broader political game being played in the Pacific as the United States seeks to reinforce relationships with New Zealand and Australia and counter Chinese influence.
Tonga is heavily in debt to China, which has sought closer ties with Russia.
At the Winter Olympics in Beijing Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping issued a 5000-word joint statement in which Xi backed Putin’s opposition to further expansion of Nato and Putin reiterated that Russia saw Taiwan as an integral part of China.
The US is planning to open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, but not in Tonga, where China has a strong diplomatic presence.
The European Union’s Ambassador to the Pacific, Sujiro Seam, said the EU would seek support from Pacific nations for sanctions against Russia.
Russia tried to woo Tonga in the 1970s, offering aid and trade. Western governments feared the Soviets wanted naval base in return and New Zealand countered by doubling its aid budget to the kingdom.
Tongans fought on the allied side during both world wars and served in Operations RAMSI in the Solomons and in Afghanistan.
The kingdom has defence co-operation agreements with Australia, the United States, China, India and New Zealand.
Other Pacific leaders have spoken out against the invasion.
Fiji’s Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, called for an end to all the “hostilities and any violations of the international rule of law.”
Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Satyendra Prasad, echoed his government’s support of the UN’s call for a de-escalation of conflict.
The Federated States of Micronesia has severed diplomatic relations with Russia.
The FSM government has described the invasion as an unjustified assault on Ukraine’s people and territory.
The country’s president, David Panuelo, said it condemned any actions which threatened global peace and stability and the rules-based international order.
ADAZI MILITARY BASE, Latvia, Feb 25 (Reuters) – The presence of U.S. and other NATO troops in Latvia sends a message to Vladimir Putin that Russia should stay away, Latvian Defence Minister Artis Pabriks said on Friday as he greeted a small deployment of U.S. soldiers.
U.S. troops attend arrival ceremony in Adazi military base, Latvia February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins
The group of some forty U.S. service members arrived from Italy early on Thursday – before hostilities in Ukraine began. The deployment is expected to grow to more than 300 soldiers.
“We are a small country. We are ready to do whatever is needed to defend ourselves. We are not afraid to die for that. But we might be overwhelmed, so this is very much why we welcome you here,” Pabriks told the troops in Adazi military base on Friday.
Russia invaded Ukraine by land sea and air on Thursday after massing more than 150,000 troops around the country’s borders including in Latvia’s neighbour Belarus.
Latvia, together with Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania, was once ruled by Moscow. They had long seen Russia as a security threat. But unlike Ukraine, the three countries joined the European Union and NATO, which brings security guarantees.
NATO’s founding treaty contains an article on collective defence stating that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members.
“We are not afraid that somebody might invade us, but the signal that U.S. soldiers are with us, and that other allies, from Canadians to Europeans are with us, is a good signal to Putin – don’t mess with us,” Pabriks said.
Over the past two days the United States has sent the troops to Latvia as well as advanced F-35 fighter aircraft to Lithuania and Estonia. It has also announced it will not be withdrawing 500 troops in Lithuania in April, as planned. read more
About twenty U.S. Apache helicopters landed in Latvia on Wednesday. read moreReporting by Janis Laizans in Adazi. Writing by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel.
All southbound traffic lanes on State Highway One over the Auckland Harbour Bridge have now reopened after they were closed while anti-mandate protesters marched across the bridge.
Photo: RNZ
State Highway 1 on the Northern Motorway was now closed to southbound traffic between Esmonde Rd and Fanshawe St and motorists were being asked to delay non-essential travel across the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Thousands of anti-mandate protesters marched onto the bridge from the North Shore late this morning, chanting “mandates gone, first of March”.
Waka Kotahi said the protesters had unlawfully entered the state highway network on foot.
This morning hundreds of people gathered at Onepoto Domain at the northern end of the bridge and then set out towards the bridge.
Māori Wardens told RNZ they were escorting the protesters for safety reasons.
The march had been organised by Destiny Church’s Freedoms and Rights Coalition.
Anti-mandate protesters in Auckland. Photo: RNZ
In a statement, police said the safety of staff, road users and protesters was the priority.
They will be actively engaging with the protesters to prevent them crossing the bridge due to the significant safety risks posed.
Despite the safety concerns, protest organisers say they have worked with the police on traffic management.
Anti-mandate protesters gather at Onepoto Domain on the North shore as they prepare to march across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Photo: RNZ
There have been 13,606 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with 263 people in hospital.
Photo: 123rf.com
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said 9262 of the new cases were in the Auckland region.
The other cases are in the Northland (218), Waikato (1154), Bay of Plenty (690), Lakes (185), Hawke’s Bay (106), MidCentral (123), Whanganui (28), Taranaki (52), Tairāwhiti (48), Wairarapa (18), Capital and Coast (413), Hutt Valley (130), Nelson Marlborough (176), Canterbury (469), South Canterbury (20), Southern (505) and West Coast (3).
Five of the 263 people in hospital with the coronavirus are in intensive care.
Yesterday, 12,011 new cases were reported, double the 6137 reported the day before. Of Friday’s cases, 8223 were tested with Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs), while 3807 were PCR tests.
The Ministry said 2613 of today’s positive results were from PCR tests, while 10,993 were from RATs.
The Ministry has asked New Zealanders to please be patient with staff at testing centres and GP clinics.
“They are doing their best to cope with high demand for testing.”
RATs are now used as the primary test at all community testing centres and the Ministry said people who use a RAT will get their results within 20 minutes, which will “help identify cases sooner, reduce testing wait times and minimise disruption to business and ensure critical services and infrastructure workforce can continue operating”.
There were also six cases reported in MIQ today.
There have now been 70,652 cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand since the pandemic began.
The Ministry said while 31,217 vaccine booster doses were given yesterday, 30.5 percent of people who are now due their booster have not yet had it.
“We urge those people to make a plan to get boosted as soon as they can.”
There were also 445 first doses, 1167 second doses, 146 third primary doses, 2263 paediatric first doses and 285 paediatric second doses given yesterday.
Today, Covid-19 modeller Dion O’Neale explained testing and data-processing backlogs are probably behind the sudden jump in cases.
This morning anti-mandate protesters began a march across Auckland Harbour Bridge, causing all southbound traffic lanes to close.
And the Grounded Kiwis group called for an end to rules requiring returning New Zealanders to isolate after arriving back in the country, even with a negative Covid-19 test.
There are 12,011 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with five further deaths.
Photo: Science Photo Library / DDJ/ via AFP
Today’s number is almost double the 6137 reported yesterday.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said 8223 of the positive results came from Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs), while 3807 were PCR tests.
The Ministry said the further increase in cases today was not unexpected given the ongoing spread of Omicron and wider testing achieved from the combined use of RATs and PCR.https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/7324871/embed?auto=1A Flourish data visualization
Auckland has most of the new cases, with 1565 positive PCR tests and 6403 positive RAT results.
But the rest of the cases remain spread around the country, with the areas that returned a positive PCR result including Northland (46), Waikato (388), Bay of Plenty (279), Lakes (23), Hawke’s Bay (54), MidCentral (112), Whanganui (13), Taranaki (37), Tairāwhiti (34), Wairarapa (10), Capital and Coast (182), Hutt Valley (85), Nelson Marlborough (79), Canterbury (355), South Canterbury (13), Southern (524) and West Coast (6).
The locations of the new community cases detected through RATs were: Northland (87), Waikato (544), Bay of Plenty (338), Lakes (140), Hawke’s Bay (40), MidCentral (41), Whanganui (5), Taranaki (11), Tairāwhiti (18), Wairarapa (4), Capital and Coast (77), Hutt Valley (20), Nelson Marlborough (23), Canterbury (114), South Canterbury (5), Southern (343) and West Coast (3).
The Ministry said the case numbers and number of people in hospital were another reminder that vaccination is the best defence against the virus. There were 25,461 booster doses given yesterday, as well as 523 first doses, 1101 second doses, 179 third primary doses, 1657 paediatric first doses and 178 paediatric second doses.
The five deaths reported today are the most ever recorded in a single day in New Zealand. There were four deaths at one point in the outbreak in April 2020.
There have now been 61 deaths of people with Covid-19 in New Zealand.
The deaths of the five patients with Covid-19 include two who were cared for in North Shore Hospital, two in Waikato, and one in Tauranga.
There are currently 237 people in hospital with the the coronavirus, including three in intensive care. There are 83 patients at Middlemore with Covid-19 and 85 in Auckland Hospital, with the rest in Northland, North Shore, Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay, Capital and Coast, Hutt Valley, Canterbury and Southern hospitals.https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/7480174/embed?auto=1A Flourish data visualization
There are 68 new cases of Covid in Tonga today bringing the total number of cases since the outbreak to a total of 365.
Minister of Health Saia Piukala and Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said of the new cases, there are 42 at Hu’atolitoli prison, 25 in Tongatapu and one case in Vava’u.
There are 178 active cases while 177 had been recovered or discharged from MIQs, he said during a press conference this morning.
Tongatapu’s curfew hours have been revised, he said.
The new curfew hours, effective next week, are from 8pm-5am.
Tertiary education Schools will reopen next week because of confident with the number of full vaccination administered among this age group across the country.
The Minister of Health Saia Piukala said the number of cases at the Hu’atolitoli cluster was growing “neongo ‘ene lahi ange” and “technical” issues had been detected there. He did not clarify the issues.
“The Ministry and the staff are working on it”, Hon Piukala said.
He said all active cases showed no sign of serious illness. Many positive cases were asymptomatic.
Repatriation flight
A repatriation flight is expected to arrive in Tonga on March 8 to bring back those passengers stuck overseas.
More repatriations in the near future but will depend on Omicron situation, the Prime Minister said.
