Covid-19: 80 new community cases
The Ministry of Health has revealed 80 new community cases of Covid19 today - 77 in Auckland, two in Waikato and one in Northland.
There are also five new cases in managed isolation.
There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Health Ministry said 46 of today's cases remain unlinked, with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the outbreak. There are now 287 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.
There are 50 people in hospital, including four people in intensive care. The Ministry said the average age of those in hospital is 44.
Interviews are continuing today with the Blenheim case identified yesterday. The person tested positive after arriving on a flight from Rotorua via Wellington. This is the first community case of Covid-19 in the South Island since the current outbreak began.
The Ministry says the Covid-19 positive case in Blenheim is unvaccinated, but that two household contacts have returned negative results and are also in isolation.
Initial case interviews suggest the case is linked to the Te Awamutu cluster and has a small number of close contacts in Waikato.
These people have been contacted and are currently isolating with tests arranged.
The Ministry is still asking residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms - no matter how mild - to get tested, even if they are vaccinated.
