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February 15, 2022
Māori cases slow despite Omicron ramp up
Claudette Hauiti
Posted On February 15, 2022
The rapid spread of Omicron means Māori are no longer dominating the daily Covid-19 tally.
Yesterday there were 981 new cases reported in the community and 39 people in hospital.
There are 579 active Māori cases, 1870 Asian, 1838 Pasifika and 1072 Pākehā cases.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says the decline in Māori numbers is a result of the efforts of those working with whānau.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced the next phase of the Government’s Omicron response will kick in at midnight tonight and continue for as long as daily cases are into 1000 to 5000 range.
Home-based isolation will drop from 14 to 10 days, and for contacts from 10 days to seven.
She advised people to develop a self-isolation plan, including identifying a buddy who could drop off supplies.
Businesses signing up to an essential workforce scheme would be eligible for some free rapid antigen tests, and the tests are expected to become more widely available towards the end of this month.
Radio Waatea parliamentary reporter Claudette Hauiti says the press gallery was thrown into disarray yesterday when a journalist tested positive during a training session on rapid antigen tests for people working in parliament.
The prime minister’s post-cabinet press conference was delayed for about 10 minutes while media outlets sent replacement journalists to cover it.
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