Covid-19: Latest community numbers in Delta and Omicron outbreaks

The Ministry of Health will provide an update on the latest numbers of Covid-19 cases at about 1pm on Sunday.

Health authorities are also expected to confirm if Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was exposed to the Omicron variant.

Ardern has had a Covid-19 test, is isolating and is reportedly feeling well, after close contact with a case on a January 22 flight from Kerikeri to Auckland.

A total of 18 domestic flights up and down the country have been identified as locations of interest, with passengers listed as close contacts.

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Sunday’s numbers will reveal if New Zealand has seen a big jump in Omicron case numbers, with the Government preparing for up to 50,000 cases a day.

On Saturday, there were 97 new community cases of Covid-19 and 105 new community cases announced on Friday.

In total, 116 community cases were confirmed as being the Omicron variant on Saturday, but more are expected to be confirmed as Omicron after genome sequencing is completed.

So far, the vast majority of Omicron community cases have been linked to private events in Auckland, including multiple weddings, over the weekend of January 15-16.

Thirty-nine Omicron cases have been linked to the Soundsplash music festival in Waikato.

There were active cases of Covid-19 being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, MidCentral, Canterbury, Tairāwhiti and Nelson-Tasman.

Meanwhile, 58 new cases at the border were confirmed on Saturday, at managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.