Nelson Anniversary Long Weekend

29/01/2022

Due to the Nelson Anniversary long weekend there will be no local updates on the January Omicron Cluster.

The Ministry of Health will continue to report any confirmed cases in the Nelson Marlborough region. These updates can be found on the Unite Against COVID-19 website. 

The Communications team would like to say thank you for keeping up-to-date over the past week. Local updates will resume on Tuesday 1 February.  

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No new cases in Nelson Tasman

28/01/2022

Case Update

  • New cases – 0
  • Active cases – 17  (16 confirmed, 1 probable)
  • 173 tests across Nelson Marlborough on Thursday.
  • 2064 total vaccinations across Nelson Marlborough with 1554 boosters and 377 paediatric doses on Thursday.

There are no further cases of COVID-19 in Nelson Marlborough to announce today. An exposure event* at the Motueka Kindergarten on 18 January has been identified through contact tracing.

Dr Stephen Bridgman, Medical Officer of Health said “The Public Health team are working closely with Motueka Kindergarten and the Regional Director of Education at the Ministry of Education.”

Public Health continue with source investigations for the third household, who had two cases announced on Tuesday and two cases on Wednesday. The investigations are yet to rule out the possibility of local transmission.

“It is really important for anyone with symptoms to come forward for testing,” Dr Bridgman said. “We had 173 tests completed across Nelson Marlborough yesterday, a reduction on the numbers from the day before. New locations of interest have been added to the Ministry of Health website and anyone with symptoms across Te Tauihu should come forward for testing.

Widespread testing of people with symptoms allows us to understand whether there is undetected community transmission. It is particularly important in this ‘stamp it out’ phase while we try and allow as many people as possible to receive their vaccinations and prepare their households for Omicron.

We are now a week in to this cluster and I reflect on the impact of the initial whānau presenting for testing. Their quick action and ongoing support has allowed us to manage the cluster through testing, contact tracing and isolation in this ‘stamp it out’ phase.

Their action has also allowed New Zealand to respond to Omicron. Nationally the announcement of Omicron cases has driven significant demand for vaccination ensuring the best protection for individuals, whānau and our health system.

So thank you to all the whānau who have been working with us in this cluster. We are grateful to those people who have presented so far for testing and to contacts and close contacts who are protecting our community through isolation and quarantine. The action from our community and local businesses has been pivotal to our ability to manage the spread of COVID-19.

It’s important to make best use of this time now to get prepared for when Omicron cases do peak in the months ahead. The Unite Against COVID-19 website has a step by step planning guide and checklist to ensure your household is ready. Take a moment this weekend to talk to your whānau, friends and neighbours about your Omicron plan.

*Not all exposure events will become locations of interest if health officials can identify everyone who may have been exposed. 

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Two new cases in Nelson Tasman within an existing household

27/01/2022

Case Update

  • New cases – 2
  • Active cases – 17  (16 confirmed, 1 probable)
  • 403 tests across Nelson Marlborough on Wednesday.
  • 2423 total vaccinations across Nelson Marlborough with 1909 boosters and 378 paediatric doses on Wednesday.

A further two household contacts of existing confirmed Nelson Tasman cases, have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total active cases across the region to 17 (16 confirmed and 1 probable).

Dr Stephen Bridgman, Medical Officer of Health said: “In this ‘stamp it out’ phase all cases are confirmed with a positive PCR test as this is the most accurate method. Rapid antigen tests become important in the ‘flatten the curve’ and ‘manage it’ phases as case numbers escalate and the public health response adjusts accordingly.

"During this ‘stamp it out’ phase we are asking close contacts to quarantine for 10 days. This allows for immediate testing and further testing at days five and eight, or earlier if symptomatic. Casual contacts, people who have been at a location of interest during the date and time specified, are directed to monitor symptoms. If they become symptomatic they need to get a test and isolate immediately until a negative test result is received.

"This ‘stamping it out’ phase aims to gift us time. Time for people in our community to become vaccinated and develop a household plan for when Omicron cases peak. This will help us reduce the number of people who experience serious illness, hospitalisation and death.”

Lexie O’Shea, Chief Executive, Nelson Marlborough Health commended the government for their phased Public Health response to Omicron:

“I know it has been said before but we really do live in unprecedented times. For the government to be able to have a national plan for a variant of COVID-19 that didn’t even exist two months ago and demonstrates the amazing agility and resilience of our Public Health teams.

"The Nelson Marlborough health system will be working at pace to operationalise these measures and align internal policies to the expected phases. The next few months are going to be bumpy and we are forever grateful to the Nelson Marlborough community for supporting us by getting vaccinated, getting tested and being kind to our frontline staff. 

"In Nelson Marlborough we are actively seeking to stamp out Omicron. We are now six days on from the first case announcement and are encouraged to see people with symptoms continuing to come forward for testing. Yesterday 403 tests were taken with over 2000 now completed across Nelson Marlborough since Friday. This expanded testing capacity is a good example of how our local health system, mobilised by Nelson Bays Primary Health Organisation and general practices, can rally.

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Find your local hospital and healthcare providers

AFTER HOURS CARE IN BLENHEIM

The Urgent Care Centre

Phone: (03) 520 6377 

Hours: 8am - 8pm daily.

Address: Hospital Road, Blenheim

 

 

FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY

In an emergency call 111 for an ambulance or go to Wairau Hospital Emergency Department.

Access to the Emergency Department is from Hospital Road.

SAVE THE ED FOR EMERGENCIES

Please do not come to the Emergency Department for general healthcare needs. Visit your GP or the Urgent Care Centre. 

AFTER HOURS DUTY DOCTOR IN GOLDEN BAY

Call the Golden Bay Community Health Centre

Phone: (03) 525 0060

 

FOR EMERGENCIES

In an emergency call 111 for an ambulance.

AFTER HOURS DUTY DOCTOR IN MOTUEKA

Call 0800 MOT GPS (0800 668 477)

 

 

FOR EMERGENCIES

In an emergency call 111 for an ambulance.

AFTER HOURS HEALTHCARE IN MURCHISON

Call the Murchison Hospital and Health Centre

Phone: (03) 523 1120

FOR EMERGENCIES

In an emergency call 111 for an ambulance.

AFTER HOURS DUTY DOCTORS IN NELSON

Medical & Injury Centre

Phone: (03) 546 8881

Hours: 8am - 10pm daily. Appointments from 8.30am

Address: 98 Waimea Road, Nelson

 

 

 

FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY

In an emergency call 111 for an ambulance or go to Nelson Hospital Emergency Department.

Access to the Emergency Department is from Waimea Road. View map and hospital parking.

SAVE THE ED FOR EMERGENCIES

Please do not come to the Emergency Department for general health care needs. Visit your GP or the Medical & Injury Centre next to the Emergency Department at Nelson Hospital.