There are 222 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.
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The Ministry of Health has also announced one new Covid-19-related death.
There are now 91 people in hospital and seven in ICU across the country. More than 21,000 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday.
Of today's official cases, 197 cases are in Auckland, 20 are in Waikato, two are in Taupō, two are in Wairarapa, and one is in Northland.
Public health officials said they were investigating a common link between cases reported in Taupō, Tararua and Masterton.
Auckland cases
In a statement this afternoon, the ministry confirmed a patient in her late 70s died at Auckland City Hospital after she was admitted on 11 November and had subsequently tested positive for the virus.
Public health staff in Auckland are now supporting 4416 people to isolate at home around Auckland. This includes 2023 Covid-19 cases.
There are 18 community testing centres available across Auckland today.
The ministry said 21 residents and four staff members of Edmonton Meadows Care Home in Henderson had tested positive since the start of the outbreak.
Five residents who tested positive are receiving appropriate ward-level care at Auckland hospitals, it added.
Northland cases
Today's Northland case is currently in Auckland but has a residential address in Northland. The case is linked to another within the same household.
One person remains in Whangârei Hospital and is in a stable condition.
There were 1059 swabs taken throughout the region yesterday and anyone with symptoms is being urged to get tested. There were also 968 people vaccinated in Northland yesterday, including 396 first doses and 556 second doses.
Waikato cases
Nine of the new cases in Waikato were from Ōtorohanga, seven from Hamilton, one from Te Awamutu, and one from Te Kuiti. Two are awaiting confirmation.
Of the cases, 12 were known contacts already in isolation and a further two have now been linked. Investigations into the remaining six are underway today.
There are three people currently receiving care at Waikato Hospital, including two who were transferred from the community isolation facility last night, the ministry said.
Public health staff in the Waikato region are now supporting 338 people to isolate at home, including 92 cases and 246 contacts.
There are eight dedicated testing centres operating today across Waikato with sites at Huntly, Ōtorohanga, Te Kuiti, Thames, and Hamilton. There were 3218 tests processed yesterday and 1827 vaccinations given.
Wairarapa cases
Health officials formally reported two cases in Wairarapa today - one of which was first announced yesterday.
Both cases are based in Masterton and are currently in isolation.
"These cases were identified through targeted testing as part of follow-up of a visit to Masterton by one of the Taupō cases on the weekend of 6 and 7 November," the ministry's statement said.
Public health staff are continuing to investigate links to known cases.
People in Wairarapa are advised to check the ministry's website for any locations of interest and if they have symptoms to get tested.
Lakes DHB region
One of Lakes DHB region's cases is a Taupō case first announced yesterday. It is officially being added to today's numbers.
The second case also lives in Taupō and is a close contact of another case. All cases in Taupō are linked, the Ministry said.
Yesterday, 1016 tests were carried out across the region and 1026 doses of vaccine administered, including 549 first doses and 465 second doses.
Across the region, 79,896 of people have had at least one dose of vaccine and 69,539 have had two doses.
There were no new cases in MidCentral reported today. Two confirmed cases in the region in remain in isolation in the same household.
Yesterday, there were 173 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand - 163 in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in Northland and one in Lakes District - plus one found in Wairarapa that came in too late for the day's official tally.
The government announced yesterday that booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine will be available in a fortnight for people who got their second dose more than six months prior.
From today, no one can work in healthcare or schools if they have not had one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine unless they are exempt from the government's mandate.
