17 new community cases, 5 in ICU – MOH

The Ministry of Health official COVID statistics for 5 January 2022.

Omicron update:

23 cases have been identified at the border. While whole genome sequencing of these cases is expected soon, the likelihood is that Omicron will continue to be the most prevalent variant at our borders.

This variant of COVID-19 continues to be having a significant impact globally, so it is not unexpected to see an increase of Omicron cases at the border.

Hospitalisations:

• Cases in hospital: 44; North Shore: 8; Auckland: 14; Middlemore: 17, Tauranga: 4, Rotorua: 1
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (18 cases / 39.1%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (9 cases / 19.6%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (10 cases / 21.7%); 9 unknown (19.6%).
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 52
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 5 (2 in Middlemore and 3 in Tauranga).

Cases:

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 36.6
• Number of new community cases: 17
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 23
• Location of new community cases: Auckland (5), Waikato (3), Bay of Plenty (9)
  Number of community cases (total): 11.003 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8285
• Number of active cases (total): 1,102 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 14,030

COVID health statistics are obtained by way of PCR test.