Over 26,000 Vaccines Given Yesterday; 69 In Hospital; 163 Community Cases

There were 26,058 first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses administered yesterday, made up of 6,646 first doses and 19,412 second doses. To date, 89 percent of New Zealanders have had their first dose and 77 percent are fully vaccinated.

Follow up to ‘Super Saturday’ this weekend 
We’re encouraging everyone who received their first vaccination three weeks ago on Super Saturday (October 16) to get their second dose this weekend – or as soon as possible after that.

Everyone vaccinated for the first time during Super Saturday will be getting email and text reminders to get their second shot.

People in Auckland can head to Eden Park, which will be open for vaccinations over the weekend with the #GotYaDot event – a unifying campaign to help whānau, hapū, iwi, teams, communities, and families to get a dot (vaccine) and protect their whakapapa.

We’re also calling on anyone else over 12 who hasn’t yet been vaccinated to get their shot. With hundreds of clinics open all over New Zealand this weekend, including drive-thru and walk-in options, it’s never been easier.

New cases identified at the border

Two cases on a ship in Ports of Auckland

It has been established that two crewmembers of a ship docked in Auckland, who initially tested positive for COVID-19 did so because of historical infections.

They were tested on Tuesday as part of a vaccination and testing programme and underwent further testing this morning which confirmed that both cases are historical. These will be added to the tally of historical cases tomorrow.

Second home isolation death

The Ministry of Health is sadly reporting a second death in the community of a person who was isolating at home.

Our thoughts are with this person’s family at this sad time.

St John’s attended a call this morning to an address in the suburb of Mt Eden and found the person deceased on arrival.

The man in his fifties is understood to have been recently treated in hospital.

Health authorities will be working with Police and Ambulance to review the circumstances around the death.

Both deaths are being investigated as part of a wider joint systemic review, run by Ministry of Health and Auckland DHBs, of the home isolation of COVID-19 patients, to identify any improvement to the system.

Both deaths will be examined by the coroner to determine the cause of death.

Taranaki wastewater

Overnight the Ministry of Health was notified of a positive wastewater detection for COVID-19 from a sample collected in Stratford on Monday.

At this stage, the detection is not linked to any known active or recovering cases in Taranaki. This means there may be undetected cases of COVID-19 in the community.

Additional follow-up wastewater samples will be taken throughout the region in the coming days.

It is possible the wastewater detection is linked to a historical case who is continuing to shed the virus.

We are asking anyone with any symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, especially anyone who has travelled outside of the region recently.

Testing is available in Stratford today at the following locations:

· The War Memorial car park, 55 Miranda Street, Stratford

· The Avon Medical Centre, 8 Romeo Street, Stratford.

If you live in the Taranaki region and haven’t been vaccinated, today is a good opportunity to do so. For a full list of testing and vaccination centres in Taranaki, see the

Taranaki DHB website.

Vaccination rates in Taranaki are 85% for first doses and 68% for second doses.

Reporting locations of interest

Given the number of new and active community cases of COVID-19 in Auckland, our approach has shifted from listing every location of interest to focusing on high-risk events. These are exposures where there are likely to be close contacts of a positive case.

Low risk exposure events, such as drive-throughs or supermarkets, are no longer being reported as locations of interest because the public health risk is very low.

We will continue to publish higher risk, close contact exposure events in public spaces when they occur, such as gyms, indoor recreation centres and movie theatres.

Work is also underway on an improved map function which will make it easier to see hotspots in specific areas. We expect this will be live later this month.

We’ll continue to publish casual exposure events in other parts of New Zealand because there are currently much fewer of these.

It’s very important that everyone – regardless of where they are in the country – continues to keep a record of where they have been. Ideally, by using the COVID Tracer App, as it helps to fast-track our ability to contact trace and respond to high-risk events.

Waikato update

The four new cases are in Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Ngāruawāhia, and Te Kuiti.

The Hamilton and Te Awamutu cases were known contacts and isolating prior to testing positive. The Ngāruawāhia case has now been linked to previous cases. The case in Te Kuiti is expected to be interviewed today to investigate any links.

Waikato DHB is supporting testing at the Te Kuiti Medical Centre, at the hospital site, and will provide additional staff as required. The centre will remain open for testing on Saturday.

There were 3,351 tests processed in Waikato yesterday and 2,958 vaccinations delivered

Northland update

We are continuing to encourage people who live in or around Taipa, Kaingaroa, Awanui and Kaitaia to get tested if they have had symptoms of COVID-19 in the last couple of weeks.

There are 10 community testing centres and nine vaccination clinics available across the region today. Locations for both can be found on

Northland DHB’s website

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There were 1,112 tests taken across Northland yesterday and 1,285 vaccinations were given, including 378 first doses.

Auckland update

There were 12,149 tests taken across Auckland yesterday.

There are 18 community testing centres available across Auckland today. For up-to-date information on testing locations in Auckland, visit

Auckland Regional Public Health Service

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In Auckland, public health officials are now supporting 767 cases to isolate at home.

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