Thread by @covid19nz

There are 11 new cases of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community to confirm today. This brings the total number of cases associated with the current Auckland community outbreak to 31.

All cases have or are being transferred safely to a managed isolation facility, under strict infection prevention and control procedures, including the use of full PPE. Of the 11 new cases, eight are in Auckland and three are in Wellington.

The three in Wellington had recently travelled to Auckland and visited a location of interest there.

The international Air New Zealand crew member, reported yesterday, has now been confirmed as a border-related case, and not linked to the Auckland outbreak, based on the results of whole genome sequencing. .

Nineteen cases are now confirmed as part of the Auckland outbreak, with the remaining 12 under investigation to confirm the linkage to the outbreak. Initial assessment shows in most cases there is a plausible link.

Of the 11 new community cases reported today:

• One case is in a family bubble with a case reported yesterday
• One case is in a family bubble with a case reported on Wednesday
• One case is in a family bubble with a case also reported on Wednesday

• Two of the cases we are reporting today are also in a family bubble together.

Public health officials are currently conducting interviews to establish how the new cases were infected and to determine further details of their movements.

We will continue to release this information as it becomes available. In addition, there are two new cases in recent returnees in a managed isolation facility.

⏺️ Testing

Our advice remains the same - please only get tested if you are a contact, have visited a location of interest at the specific date(s) and time(s), or have cold and flu symptoms. It is imperative we prioritise testing for these groups.

Testing centres in Auckland had their busiest day ever, by more than 50 percent. More than 24,000 community tests were performed across Auckland yesterday, with more than 8,000 at community testing centres and around 16,000 at general practice and urgent care clinics.

Police are helping to manage traffic flows at sites. The Ministry of Health thanks New Zealanders playing their part in complying with Alert Level 4, in getting a test and for their patience at sites while there is high demand.

The Ministry also thanks testing staff for stepping up again – these staff are working at pace at the frontline of our COVID-19 response, in high-stress environments, and making personal sacrifices to keep our communities safe.

There are 13 community testing centres available for testing across Auckland today, including seven pop-up community testing centres at Narrow Neck, St Lukes, Wairau Valley, St Johns, Albany, Mângere East, and Pakuranga Heights.

There is additional dedicated testing for Avondale College staff, students and whânau, who are considered to be close contacts.

Additionally, around 2,600 swabs have been taken onsite from Auckland City Hospital staff and all have been negative so far, following a fully vaccinated staff member working onsite while unknowingly potentially infectious with COVID-19.

All community testing centres in Auckland are continuing to operate extended hours and many will remain open until 8pm today. Pop-up testing sites remain open in Coromandel Township, Thames, and Hamilton – and testing capacity is being surged to increase throughput at sites.

Yesterday, Waikato DHB’s laboratory processed nearly 2,600 (2,590) tests and all returned a negative result.
In Wellington, COVID-19 testing is under way, with a range of sites already in place, and are ensuring additional testing capacity is available, if needed.

All DHBs are ensuring there is good access to testing across the regions. Further locations, including in rural areas, are being actively considered for expanding the geographical spread of testing to help determine whether there has been any undetected transmission to date.

For up-to-date information on all testing locations nationwide, visit healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/
The total number of COVID-19 tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,612,235. The seven-day rolling average is 9,085.

⏺️ Wastewater

COVID-19 was detected in wastewater samples collected on Wednesday from the Waitakere area in Auckland. This follows detection in the sample from Tuesday.

There have been no unexpected detections to report outside the Auckland region.

⏺️ Whole genome sequencing, Crowne Plaza

The latest preliminary results from the recent whole genome sequencing of 10 test results completed last night show that of the community cases sequenced to date all are linked with the series of cases associated with case A.

Separately the Air New Zealand crew member has been linked to three other cases in managed isolation in a different facility. These four cases are not linked to the community cluster of cases and have a separate origin from overseas.

The community cases are genomically linked to a case in managed isolation who stayed in the Crowne Plaza. Whole genome sequencing has also linked three cases in a family bubble next door to that original MIF case.

As a result, public health officials are now arranging further testing for those returnees who have now left, or due to depart, who were on the same floor.

ESR has noted that these whole genome sequencing results are preliminary, and that additional analysis will be carried out before they are finally confirmed.