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NZ records 63 new Covid-19 cases

December 11, 2021

There are 63 new Covid-19 cases in the community on Saturday, the Ministry of Health has announced.

Of those, 53 are in Auckland, three are in the Waikato, one in the Bay of Plenty, two in Northland, and two in Canterbury.

Two historical cases were also announced in Southern and Taranaki regions.

Sixty people are in hospital with the virus, including three in intensive care or a high dependency unit.

It's the first time under 70 cases have been recorded in New Zealand in 52 days, going back to October 20.

An Auckland border worker has also tested positive for Covid-19 as part of routine surveillance testing, the Ministry of Health said.

The case remains under investigation and is yet to be classified as either a community or border case, and has not been included in Saturday's case tally, but has been added to the tally of total cases to date.

Support is being offered to 2,809 people isolating at home in Auckland, including 677 cases.

The two cases reported in Paihia, Northland on Saturday are being investigated by health officials with recent travel to Auckland the likely source of their infections.

The Ministry of Health said the three cases reported in Waikato are linked. Cases continue to be detected in Te Kūiti and the Ministry of Health is urging everyone living in or around the town to "remain vigilant".

In Bay of Plenty, the case remains under investigation for any link to previously reported cases and contacts are being identified.

There were two cases announced at New Zealand's border on Saturday. One arrived from Qatar, via Australia, on November 25 and tested positive at day 14 after being identified as a close contact of a previously reported border case in their bubble.

The other case arrived from the UK via Singapore on December 6 and tested positive on Day three during routine testing.

"While we have seen a drop in case numbers today, we continue to ask everyone in New Zealand to remain vigilant," a statement from the Ministry of Health read.

"Anyone with any symptoms that could be Covid-19 is asked to get a test, even if they are vaccinated."

On Friday, 95 community cases and two deaths were announced in New Zealand.

New Zealand Coronavirus Pandemic

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