There are 202 new Covid-19 cases in the community on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health has announced.
The cases are in Northland (17), Auckland (119), Waikato (39), Lakes (4), Bay of Plenty (8), Taranaki (1), Hawke’s Bay (8), Hutt Valley (1), Wellington (5) and Nelson Marlborough (1).
Fourteen people are in hospital with the virus, including one in an intensive care or high dependency unit.
The ministry also announced there were another 11 Covid-19 cases on a vessel. It did not provide more information.
It also said investigations are ongoing to determine links to the outbreak for Northland’s 17 new cases.
Twenty-nine of the Waikato’s 39 new cases have been linked to previously reported cases.
Public health staff are continuing their investigations into the remaining 10 cases.
Twenty-five of the Waikato’s cases are in Hamilton, two in Ngāruawāhia, two in Ōhaupō, two in Taupiri, one in Morrinsville and the remaining locations are to be confirmed.
The ministry said the four new cases in the Lakes DHB area are in Rotorua (2) and Tāupo (2).
Three of the cases have links to previously reported cases. The source of the remaining case’s infection is under investigation.
The eight new cases in the Bay of Plenty region are in Tauranga or the wider Western Bay of Plenty.
The cases include a mariner aboard SF Maui, which has been at the Port of Tauranga.
Six of the region's eight cases are linked to previously reported cases.
The new case in Taranaki is linked to a previously identified case in Northland.
The case was reported by Taranaki DHB on Sunday but is officially included in Tuesday’s numbers.
The case and their household contacts are isolating in South Taranaki, and at this stage there are no new locations of interest for the region.
Of the eight new cases in the Hawke’s Bay, four are associated with Te Mata Primary School in Havelock North.
Two of the cases were unknowingly infectious while at school last week so a number of individuals have been identified as close contacts.
Hawke’s Bay DHB’s public health unit is working closely with the school and the Ministry of Education.
The other four Hawke’s Bay cases are linked to known cases.
“There have been a number of Covid-19 cases identified at schools recently. This is not unexpected following the start of the school year,” the ministry said in a statement.
Public health measures such as vaccination, mandates, mask-wearing and good hygiene practices are ensuring tamariki are “well protected” from the virus at school, the ministry said.
The five new cases in the Wellington region are household contacts of existing cases.
The new case in the Tasman region (Nelson Marlborough) is linked to a previously reported case.
Investigations are continuing to determine the source of a case who was staying at Tahuna Beach Holiday Park at the time of their positive test, the ministry said.
Mobile testing and vaccination was available at the park over the weekend. Public health staff have thanked people at the park for the strong testing and vaccination turnout.
Sixty-three cases in MIQ were also announced on Tuesday.
The cases had arrived in the country between January 25 and February 6.
They had travelled from Singapore, Sri Lanka, India, Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, Denmark, the UK, Egypt, Fiji, Saudi Arabia and the US.
Full travel history was still to obtained for 27 of the border cases.
The cases had tested positive for the virus between day 1 and 12.
On Monday, 188 community cases were announced.
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