15 new community cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday - all in Auckland

15 new community cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday - all in Auckland; Testing numbers pick up

8th Sep 21, 1:13pm by Jenée Tibshraeny

There are 15 new cases of Covid-19 in the community on Wednesday - all in Auckland, brining the total number of cases in this outbreak up to 855.

Of these cases, 25 remain unlinked.

Of the 20 cases identified on Tuesday, 15 are household contacts and five were potentially infectious while in the community.

Of the 38,000 contacts in the contact tracing system, 87% have been tested.

Testing numbers have picked up, after dropping off, with 13,230 tests processed on Tuesday.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said: “An Auckland Regional Public Health Service investigation into the source of the current community outbreak has concluded that transmission to a member of the public walking through the public atrium at the Crowne Plaza [managed isolation facility] is highly unlikely."

The Government's MIQ technical advisory group has recommended the Crowne Plaza can reopen and receive its next cohort of overseas returnees on Thursday, as planned.

Here is a summary from the Ministry of Health:

Cases
Number of new community cases	15
Number of new cases identified at the border	One
Location of new cases	Auckland
Location of community cases (total)	Auckland 838 (210 of whom have recovered); Wellington 17 (eight of whom have recovered)
Number of community cases (total)	*855 (in current community outbreak)
Cases infectious in the community	Five (25%) of yesterday’s cases have exposure events
Cases in isolation throughout the period they were infected	15 (75%) of yesterday’s cases
Cases epidemiologically linked	13 of today’s cases
Cases to be epidemiologically linked	Two of today’s cases
Cases epidemiologically linked (total)	830 (in current cluster) (25 unlinked)
Number of sub-clusters	Eight epidemiologically linked subclusters. The two largest subclusters are the Mangere church group: 371; and Birkdale social network cluster: 76. And nine epidemiologically unlinked subclusters.
Cases in hospital	37 (total): North Shore (8); Middlemore (14); Auckland (15)
Cases in ICU or HDU	Six
Confirmed cases (total)	3,473 since pandemic began
Historical cases, since 1 Jan 2021 (total)	130 out of 1,655 since 1 Jan 2021
Contacts
Number of contacts identified (total)	38,018
Percentage who have received outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements)	87%
Percentage with at least one test result	91%
Locations of interest
Locations of interest (total)	126 (as at 10am 5 September)
Tests
Number of tests (total)	3,082,577
Number of tests total (last 24 hours)	13,230
Tests in Auckland (last 24 hours)	8,566
Tests rolling average (last 7 days)	10,855
Testing centres in Auckland	21
Wastewater
Wastewater detections	No unexpected detections in past 24 hours
COVID-19 vaccine update
Vaccines administered to date (total)	4,032,710; 1st doses: 2,662,131; 2nd doses: 1,370,579
Vaccines administered yesterday (total)	72,893; 1st doses: 49,594; 2nd doses: 23,299
Māori	1st doses: 245,139; 2nd doses: 120,907
Pacific Peoples	1st doses: 157,145; 2nd doses: 82,434
NZ COVID-19 tracer
Registered users (total)	3,169,906
Poster scans (total)	341,866,852
Manual diary entries (total)	15,654,896
Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday	1,018,481

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57 Comments

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 1:22pm 1631064173

why are contacts still working and not self isolating? whom is keeping track of them

by donny11 | 8th Sep 21, 1:21pm 1631064074

Do household contacts of a close contact have to isolate?

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 1:33pm 1631064789

close contact yes and if you are a household contact you will catch it

action for the contact

Isolate/quarantine, either at home or in a managed facility, for 14 days from last exposure.
Test immediately (unless it's within 1 day of your next scheduled test), and on day 5 after last exposure and day 12 after last exposure.
If COVID-19 symptoms develop, get an additional test immediately.

Contact tracing for COVID-19 | Ministry of Health NZ

by donny11 | 8th Sep 21, 1:39pm 1631065189

This is advice for close contacts. Not household contacts of close contacts.

Just been reading up. It appears that if a member of your household is identified as a close contact other members of this household should isolate till the close contact has a day 5 test. However the use of the word "should" as apposed to "must" is interesting here. Clearly there is no legal requirement for these people (household contacts of close contacts) to isolate. Hence why we are still seeing people infectious in the community 1 month since the outbreak began.

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 1:46pm 1631065585

frustrating that we are still seeing so much that seems like common sense to us take so long for our health sector to implement so we can get back to normal, it seems to be like a big ship takes them ages to turn around and change direction

by donny11 | 8th Sep 21, 1:53pm 1631066000

Indeed. This seams like a major flaw in the system. At level 4 all close contacts and there households should be told they must self isolate. Get your groceries delivered.

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 2:07pm 1631066849

the numbers are small enough now the government could pay them to stay home and supply them with what they need,

by donny11 | 8th Sep 21, 1:21pm 1631064104

Do household contacts of a close contact have to isolate?

by Foxglove. | 8th Sep 21, 1:35pm 1631064937

“five were potentially infectious while in the community” that’s the crux of the matter isn’t it, and when previous similar cases are added in, that is quite obviously the greatest threat to the lockdown being ultimately successful, and the only measure of security for that is, well the lockdown itself and attachments. Like it or lump it, perseverance is therefore the only course on offer.

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 1:35pm 1631064946

and that is the problem until we get everyone out of the community with delta lockdown will continue, now the numbers are small they should be much quicker to show up at people doors and make sure they are staying put,

by Jay Lim | 8th Sep 21, 1:19pm 1631063976

mandatory masks outside home, and get back to normal life sounds better than lockdown.

by realterms | 8th Sep 21, 1:58pm 1631066336

Sydney sounds better does it?

by npc | 8th Sep 21, 2:49pm 1631069395

Implying masks aren't pointless virtue signalling.

by lowercase capitalist | 8th Sep 21, 3:04pm 1631070283

But they're not just pointless virtue signaling. They're pretty effective at preventing people who are infectious from spreading the disease.

Problem is that people think that masks will prevent the wearer from getting infected by an unmasked person which is less true. But if everyone wears them then transmission rates drop with almost no effort - wearing a mask isn't difficult unless you're a Republican.

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 3:27pm 1631071644

Correct, they aren't pointless virtue signalling.

They aren't effective in all situations, and aren't being mandated in all situations as a result.

There are no silver bullets when fighting COVID, initially it looked like vaccines would be (or at least, very close) but unfortunately delta reproduces at such a prolific rate that infection and spread amongst vaccinated people is still fairly common.

by chemistpeter@g… | 8th Sep 21, 3:12pm 1631070756

I don't know. I would not call wearing masks freedom.

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 3:27pm 1631071679

Gosh, how do you tolerate paying taxes if you find a mask is too stifling for your freedom?

by frazz | 8th Sep 21, 4:14pm 1631074454

Putting on a seatbelt must be so un-liberating for you as well?

by mfd | 8th Sep 21, 3:33pm 1631072033

Fight the power! Next we turn against having to wear pants and undies (or 'crotch masks') whenever we go outside - we've been oppressed for too long!

by the Joneses | 8th Sep 21, 3:38pm 1631072295

Well then share a thought for the nudists out there... They have been beaten down by the opression of mandatory clothes wearing in public for too long!

by kiwichas | 8th Sep 21, 5:06pm 1631077562

See how much freedom you have while intubated

by Noncents | 8th Sep 21, 8:14pm 1631088889

lol, because there is a 100% chance that will happen.

No mask = Death

No vaccine = Death

standing closer than 2m = Death

I don't know who is worse, the Covid is the end of the world brigade or the vaccines contain nanobots linked to 5g brigade. It's One extreme to another, can no-one just sit rationally in the middle anymore?

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 10:48pm 1631098117

Funny, I haven't really seen any commentators on interest.co.nz say that COVID is the end of the world and certain death for everyone.

Maybe you're just imaging what people are saying, instead of reading what they actually write.

by KBKIWI | 8th Sep 21, 7:09pm 1631084958

Do you think having to wear clothes in public is also something that is hurting from freedoms?

by Solve_it | 8th Sep 21, 2:05pm 1631066755

Interesting article here commenting on workplaces abilities to restrict work options for the unvaccinated. All theoretical until tested in court.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/300401535/could-the-n…

by npc | 8th Sep 21, 2:53pm 1631069584

It will be interesting to see how this goes when it comes up against our current labour shortages.

Even 10% of the workforce refusing to comply with this could cause serious problems. I think given the Gen1 vaccinations relatively poor performance with Delta (and now Mu), it's reasonable for the young and healthy to try for natural immunity.

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 3:29pm 1631071784

I think given the Gen1 vaccinations relatively poor performance with Delta (and now Mu), it's reasonable for the young and healthy to try for natural immunity.

Did you consider that you can do both? Get vaccinated and then get infected anyway, but not risk hospital or death because you were vaccinated first? and then if you don't get infected, there's nothing to worry about? And you don't have to worry about workplace restrictions? And if you're worried about side-effects from the pfizer vaccine then you really shouldn't be, because even young and healthy people are far more likely to have a serious problem with COVID than they are to have a serious side effect from the vaccine?

by npc | 8th Sep 21, 3:54pm 1631073262

This seems to be the best case for all of us. Vaccination to reduce severity, natural immunity to reduce the spread.

I like the look of the novavax vaccine due next year.

I think my point still stands, for the young and healthy it's a gamble they can take. There aren't huge risks for them with either approach.

by fat pat | 9th Sep 21, 6:46am 1631126790

Did you consider that you can do both?

If you get vaccinated first, then you'll imprint your immune system antibodies to an old fashion spike protein, when the virus is already leagues ahead in terms of mutations. Every time you get exposed to covid your body will recall, and make the useless old fashion antibodies which dont work properly. This is the concept of "original antigenic sin". Why is nobody discussing this?

If you have natural immunity then why would you risk getting myocarditis, Bell's palsy etc. just to boost you IgG levels, because your IgG levels will skyrocket if you get reinfected anyway.

by Solve_it | 9th Sep 21, 7:20am 1631128859

Because you have a higher chance of getting myocarditis from covid. Your biological understanding is tenuous. "Old fashioned antibodies" work a heck of a lot better than no antibodies which is why we are seeing the reduced death and injury rates in the vaccinated populations overseas.

by fat pat | 9th Sep 21, 7:39am 1631129986

covid19 induced myocarditis is very rare indeed. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147956320303563

by Solve_it | 9th Sep 21, 8:21am 1631132519

Yes I'm aware, the only thing rarer is to get myocarditis from the vaccine!

by fat pat | 9th Sep 21, 9:03am 1631135035

In New Zealand alone there've been 32 cases of myocarditis, 10 heart attacks, 45 haemorrages, 39 cases of Bells palsy... and on and on. and that's only what's reported. https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-25.asp

by Solve_it | 9th Sep 21, 9:04am 1631135087

Sorry man I have better things to do. Let me know when you've taken your blinkers off.

by Lanthanide | 9th Sep 21, 10:25am 1631139925

Almost none of which can be directly attributed to the vaccine.

by Carlos67 | 8th Sep 21, 2:08pm 1631066937

Not sure how we can possibly still have infectious cases out in the community. Its a level 4 lockdown you Auckland idiots that means you should probably only be leaving the house every 2 weeks to do the supermarket shopping or better still try and get it delivered. Clearly people are still not taking it seriously enough and hence the Auckland lockdown will continue to drag on and on. Every time its a community case you add 2 weeks to the lockdown and at this rate you will be in Level 4 until Christmas.

by sharetrader | 8th Sep 21, 2:11pm 1631067067

its people still working , there are a still a huge number from warehouses to trucks to industries that are needed to keep going to feed the rest of the country especially the north island as most goods come through auckland, just heading into my job now and i will tell you later how much traffic i see still out there,

by Brock Landers | 8th Sep 21, 3:02pm 1631070162

The only reason lockdowns are going on and on is because of Jacinda and her elimination vanity project.

As far as many are concerned, she can shove her lockdowns where the sun don't shine. And rightly so.

by Carlos67 | 8th Sep 21, 3:11pm 1631070690

Yes that's true in part, Labour are just loving Covid as its taking all the attention away from other issues that are just as serious long term. They will be hoping to string this out until the next election.

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 3:31pm 1631071904

The only reason lockdowns are going on and on is because of Jacinda and her elimination vanity project.

No it's because we don't want to have thousands dying from COVID, with tens of thousands of others suffering long-term complications or having their other medical issues not addressed due to hospitals overflowing with COVID patients, as has happened in comparable countries elsewhere in the world.

That's not actually 'vanity', it's called 'good governance' and also 'the moral thing to do'.

by Noncents | 8th Sep 21, 8:28pm 1631089680

Good governance? Moral?

Have we actually had a debate on the moral/ethical reasoning behind saving the elderly vs the young? the fat/unhealthy vs the fit/healthy?

If we had spent the covid money on kids in need, homeless, and mental health we would probably be a lot better off as a nation

by Lanthanide | 8th Sep 21, 10:51pm 1631098289

Have we actually had a debate on the moral/ethical reasoning behind saving the elderly vs the young? the fat/unhealthy vs the fit/healthy?

Yes. It was called the 2020 election and Labour's popularity on the back of their COVID handling and approach, the repeated rejection of National's calls to open the border every 5 minutes, and continued polling, the most recent of which shows 5/6ths of NZers support the government's approach.

There's been plenty of right-wing idiots baying in the media that we should learn how to 'live' with COVID, and for the most part the public don't agree with them.

See also, the general lack of anti-lock down protests. There was one the other day in Auckland at which 1 person turned up.

by davef | 8th Sep 21, 3:46pm 1631072804

Partly true, though the reality is still that any significant outbreak would overwhelm a health system that we can't practically equip to handle the situation. So for now, just for the next few months, lockdowns may be the only viable option.

The real test comes in the next few months when vaccination rates peak and the vaccinated then expect to be allowed to live freely.

We're actually pretty fortunate, in part through plain luck - we can observe how things pan out in NSW and VIC and probably consider their last few months AND next few months our WORST case outcome.

by printer8 | 8th Sep 21, 4:30pm 1631075450

Come on Brock.

Us having lockdowns whereas Sydney is moving to free up (although surrendering to Delta and future more virulent strains) is yet another reason you should be on your proposed way ASAP.

Many times you have described NZ as “toxic”, the Government as incompetent, our housing as only “sh*t boxes” . . .

Six months ago you were saying you were off as soon as “you lined up a few ducks” . . . so just when is this happening son?

by Brock Landers | 8th Sep 21, 9:48pm 1631094517

Hi Gramps,

Rest assured that you will be the last to know.

If you turn up your hearing aid you might hear some quacking.

by tim52 | 8th Sep 21, 2:48pm 1631069293

Have they released any data on how many of the cases or hospitalised were vaccinated?

by npc | 8th Sep 21, 2:57pm 1631069874

Haven't seen it. I'd also like to see the health status of those hospitalised. Particularly average age, BMI and number of pre-existing conditions.

by Brock Landers | 8th Sep 21, 3:02pm 1631070125

The thing they really froth over is reporting ethnicity so they can bleat on with their identity politics agenda.

The biggest health problem in this country is obesity. But can't report on that, someone might get offended.

by Carlos67 | 8th Sep 21, 3:07pm 1631070455

Yes lets just be up front here and state that fat people are at much higher risk. Lets also not use BMI because that measurement is just plain rubbish and it annoys the hell out of me that even supposedly smart people like doctors still use it.

by Foxglove. | 8th Sep 21, 3:42pm 1631072563

It’s impossible to predict. Every individual will be different. Nephew in UK tall, fit strong & a mate almost the complete opposite. Both in 30’s both double jabbed, both caught Covid, might have been same place same time. Nephew saw it off similar to a reasonable dose of flu, the mate didn’t even know he had it.

by Steele | 8th Sep 21, 3:46pm 1631072806

Yes, glad to hear it, but the point being that neither were seriously ill. This seems to be the default for the majority whether vaccinated or not which begs the question of why healthy people need it at all. Since those vaccinated can still spread it, surely the only ones that need it are those who are vulnerable to it. There is a lot of contradiction around.

by Steele | 8th Sep 21, 3:41pm 1631072508

There are reports from the UK that most of their hospitilizations now are unvaccinated people. Very few vaccinated admissions and those only with serious existing conditions.

by tim52 | 8th Sep 21, 3:58pm 1631073494

If you willing to cherry pick data and studies you can find evidence for almost anything when it comes to covid. There are many ways to get these statistics and you will find different numbers from different places.

Our numbers are most relevant to us for our ability to control outbreaks with grater vaccination.

by Three Veg | 8th Sep 21, 3:53pm 1631073230

There are official stats available for people interested in the numbers

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uplo…

table 5.

by Three Veg | 8th Sep 21, 3:55pm 1631073353

The most useful metric I could think of was rate of hospital admissions / number of cases. Vaccinated vs unvaccinated; segregated by age group.

by mfd | 8th Sep 21, 4:01pm 1631073683

Thanks for the link. To add colour, here's some stats on vaccine status including for different age groups - over 50s ~ 80% fully vaccinated, 70+ ~90% vaccinated. i.e. the population of vaccinated people includes the vast majority of at risk people and if vaccines were ineffective you'd expect the vast majority of hospitalisations to be among the vaccinated.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55274833

In fact from your link, it looks like a small majority of those hospitalised are unvaccinated.

by tim52 | 8th Sep 21, 5:21pm 1631078503

Only if you assume vaccinations are independently randomly distributed among the stated demographics. This is not the case.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/israel

Take Israel, they have similar case numbers to their last wave with very roughly half the deaths of the last wave. With greater than 90% percent of at risk age demographic vaxed the deaths should be much lower than what they are now (i would think it should be 19% of the last wave using 90% vaccine effectiveness). The most frail or at risk may be unable to be vaccinated is one theory.

Edit: There does seem to be a deaths/cases ratio much closer to 20% in the UK.