Dunedin’s Castle Street is once again filled with partying students after having been the centre of the city’s Omicron outbreak.

Firefighters were called to a house on the street on Thursday morning after a couch had been set on fire, but which was quickly put out once crews arrived.

Most flats on the street had been in self-isolation after hundreds of students caught Covid-19 while returning for the university year.

But, students are now making up for that lost time with St Patrick's Day celebrations having kicked off in the early hours of Thursday.

Read more: Covid-19 rife among Otago Uni students on Dunedin’s Castle St

Otago University’s orientation week was also cancelled under Red traffic light restrictions, which meant students have missed out on their usual start of semester celebrations.