Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: New locations of interest in Whanganui District Health Board region

Bulls has one of three new Covid-19 location of interest in the Whanganui District Health Board region. Photo / Bevan Conley

There are three new Covid-19 locations of interest in the Whanganui District Health Board region – in the Rangitīkei and Ruapehu districts.

BP Connect in Bulls, Taylors in Hunterville and the National Army Museum Waiouru were revealed as locations of interest by the Ministry of Health on Sunday afternoon.

Those who visited the locations at the times specified are asked to self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days after potential exposure.

They are BP Connect Bulls on Thursday, January 27 between 1.45pm and 1.50pm, Taylors 1998 Ltd Hunterville on Thursday, January 27 between 1.03pm and 1.10pm, and National Army Museum Waiouru on Thursday, January 27 between 11.42am and 11.50am.

If symptoms develop, people should get a test and stay at home until they get a negative test result.

Meanwhile, Whanganui remains one of a few regions without a confirmed active case as of Sunday afternoon.

There were 103 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand on Sunday.

One new confirmed case is isolating in South Taranaki.

That person is a close contact of cases from the Hawkes Bay region. There are three active cases in Taranaki.

Everyone in New Zealand was asked to act as if Omicron was circulating in their community, the Ministry of Health said.

“That means wearing a mask, physical distancing and scanning in using the Covid-19 Tracer app, when you’re out and about.”

The most common early symptoms of Omicron were a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose.

People with these symptoms, should get a test, and stay at home until receiving a negative result.

Overall 96 per cent of over-12s have had a first dose of the vaccine, including 764 people who got their first dose on Saturday.

And 94 per cent have had a second dose, including 1300 from Saturday.

On Friday Horizons Regional Council announced that a Palmerston North staff member had tested positive for Covid-19.

A number of Horizons Regional Council staff are now isolating as close contacts.

On Friday Whanganui medical officer of health Patrick O’Connor said the region can expect “plenty of cases” over the coming weeks.

“I’m not going to make dire predictions at this point, but there’s plenty of work ahead,” he said.

Locations of interest in the Whanganui DHB region:

• BP Connect Bulls on Thursday, January 27 between 1.45pm and 1.50pm.

• Taylors 1998 Ltd Hunterville on Thursday, January 27 between 1.03pm and 1.10pm.

• National Army Museum Waiouru on Thursday, January 27 between 11.42am and 11.50am.