Monday February 21
Today there are 2,365 new community cases of Covid-19.
Of these cases, 50 are in Northland, 1,692 in Auckland, 136 are in Waikato, 42 in Bay of Plenty, 24 in Lakes District, 23 in Hawke’s Bay, 14 in MidCentral, 5 in Whanganui, 4 in Taranaki, 9 in Tairāwhiti, 8 in Wairarapa, 89 in Capital and Coast, 19 in Hutt Valley, 58 Nelson Marlborough, 105 in Canterbury, 1 in South Canterbury and 86 in Southern.
The seven day rolling average of community cases is now 1,667.
There are 116 people currently in hospital.
There is one case in ICU.
There has been one death from Covid-19 at Middlemore Hospital. The family has requested that no further details be released.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has also reported the death of a patient in their 70s at Auckland City Hospital following a diagnosis of Covid-19.
These two deaths are not yet reflected in the data reported on the Ministry’s website, which will be updated accordingly.
Testing
From this morning, rapid antigen tests are available at Auckland Community Testing Centres but only for those who fit the appropriate clinical criteria. The health workers on site will determine which test (PCR or a rapid antigen test) is best for you.
Access to rapid antigen tests will be expanded further during the coming week.
RAT tests are currently not available at GPs.
In order to avoid putting too much pressure on testing stations, remember, only those with symptoms or who have been identified as close contacts of a case, or directed by a health professional to get tested, should be turning up at testing sites.
More than 2.1 million booster shots have now been given nationally, with more than 15,000 administered on Sunday.
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