There are 1573 new community cases of Covid-19 today, including seven in Canterbury, the Ministry of Health says.
Today's new community cases are in Canterbury (7), Northland (31), Auckland (1,140), Waikato (143), Bay of Plenty (29), Lakes (35), Hawke’s Bay (2), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (11), Taranaki (8), Tairāwhiti (8), Wairarapa (30), Capital and Coast (20), Hutt Valley (22), Nelson Marlborough (49), and Southern (35).
There are 15 new cases at the border from India (1), Australia (1) and 10 cases whose full travel history has not been obtained.
Sixty three people are in hospital with the virus - but none in intensive care.
Yesterday there were 1160 new community cases. The total number of Covid-19 cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began is now 24,660.
New locations of interest in Dunedin student quarter
There were no new Covid locations of interest in Canterbury this morning but parties in the Dunedin student quarter have been announced as locations of interest in the current outbreak.
On its Facebook page this morning the University of Otago announced the following:
If you attended a party on Castle Street between 7pm Saturday, 12 February and 1am Sunday, 13 February you need to get a Covid‑19 test immediately and isolate until you get the results.
If you attended a party on Castle Street between 7pm on Monday, 14 February and 12.30am Tuesday, 15 February you are required to self-isolate until Monday, 21 February and get a Covid‑19 test on Saturday, 19 February.
The news comes just a day after the Otago Daily Times reported that some students said they would party on despite the threat of catching Covid-19 and hefty fines.
Students spoken to by the ODT this week had different views on whether they would limit their partying because of the threat of Omicron.
Students at a Castle St party on Monday said they would not change their behaviour, one saying "Castle doesn’t get Covid bro", and another saying everyone needed to catch the virus so they could keep partying.
A group of female students, who did not want to be named, believed it was inevitable they would all get it eventually, but they hoped being vaccinated would stop them getting badly sick.
As at 11am the university had not been listed as a location of interest on the Ministry of Health site.
Free Covid-19 testing is available close by the locations of the parties.
WellSouth operates a walk-in and drive-through testing centre at 5 Malcolm Street, which is open from 11am-7pm.
The Ministry of Health says there are now 158 active cases in the southern area.
There are 63 people in hospital, none in ICU, the ministry said.
The hospital cases are in: North Shore: 4; Middlemore: 22; Auckland: 28; Rotorua: 1; Tauranga: 3; Waikato: 3; Wellington: 1, Tairawhiti: 1. The average age of the current hospitalisations is 62.
There were also 15 cases reported at the border today.
The total number of Covid-19 cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began is now 24,660.
There were 40,452 vaccine booster doses given yesterday, including 2320 first doses, 1487 second doses and 1677 paediatric doses.
The numbers come as Dunedin had its first locations of interest in the current outbreak, student parties in Castle St.
High demand at testing sites
In the last 24 hours, 32,285 Covid tests have been processed.
The Ministry of Health said testing sites were continuing to see high demand and asked people visiting the sites to be patient.
It was important people only sought a test if they had cold or flu symptoms, have been identified as a close contact, or have been asked to get tested by a health official, the ministry said.
"We understand that some people will be feeling worried or anxious at this time and will want a test for their own reassurance.
"However, unnecessary testing will result in long waits at testing centres and could also delay results for those who urgently need them."
Booster, vaccine update
Yesterday, more than 40,000 booster shots were administered. Sixty-two per cent of the population due their booster had now received it.
Overall, 96 percent of eligible people in the country, aged 12 and older, have had their first dose, and 95 percent have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
For eligible Māori aged 12 and older, 91 percent have received one dose and 87 percent have had two.
Ninety-eight percent of eligible Pacific peoples, aged 12 and older, have had their first dose and 95 percent have received two doses.
Overall, 46 percent of eligible 5 to 11-year-olds have had their first dose of vaccine.
For Māori children in this age cohort, 27 percent have had a dose.
And for eligible Pacific children, aged 5-11, 37 percent have had their first dose.
