WELLINGTON, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 91 new community cases of COVID-19 today, said, the Ministry of Health in a statement.
Among the 91 new community infections, 65 are in the largest city, Auckland, one in Bay of Plenty, 17 in Waikato, three in the Lakes region, one in Northland, two in Hawke’s Bay, one in Tairawhiti and one in Wellington, according to the ministry. In addition, there are 39 new cases at the border.
There are 10 COVID-19 patients in New Zealand hospitals, but no COVID-19 patient is at the intensive care unit. The country recorded 16,039 cases of COVID-19, since the beginning of the pandemic, including 12,005 cases from the current community outbreak.
Whole genome sequencing continues to take place on all new unlinked cases of COVID-19, and provides additional information to aid public health decisions, said a ministry statement.
The Omicron variant is now the dominant variant; therefore, specific variant of the virus is no longer being reported alongside case numbers, it said, adding, as cases continue to increase, priority for whole genome sequencing will be to highlight patterns of virus spread rather than individual cases.
To date, about 94 percent of eligible people in New Zealand are fully vaccinated with at least two doses, the ministry said, adding, more than 1.3 million boosters, or the third doses, have been administered. Over 163,000 five-to-11-year-olds have received their first doses.
The ministry urges everyone in New Zealand to act, as Omicron is circulating in the community. People are encouraged to wear a mask, keep a physical distance from each other, and use the contract tracing app, when out and about. People are also encouraged to take their booster jabs of the COVID-19 vaccine, as soon as possible.– NNN-AGENCIES
