[Source: RNZ}

There are 56 new cases of COVID-19 in the community today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

In a statement, the Ministry said the new cases were in Auckland (42), Waikato (4), Bay of Plenty (6), Rotorua (2), Taranaki (1), and Tairāwhiti (1).

The one new case in Taranaki is linked to the Eltham cluster and is understood to have been self-isolating during their infectious period.

The two Rotorua cases are household contacts, and three of the six new cases in the Bay of Plenty today have also been linked to earlier cases.

There are 48 people with the coronavirus in hospital, including seven in ICU.

There were also four cases reported at the border today.

There have now been 10,432 cases in the current community outbreak and 13,278 since the pandemic began.

After three detections of COVID-19 in wastewater samples collected in Napier this month, the virus was not detected in a sample collected on 21 December. A follow up sample has been collected for analysis.

There were no other new, unexpected wastewater results to report.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the previous wastewater results were a reminder for residents to not be complacent.

Wise said it was important for people to get vaccinated, with Napier’s first-dose rate at about 93 percent and 87 percent for double doses of the eligible population.

There were 23,016 vaccine doses given yesterday, including 1578 first doses, 7258 second doses, 807 third primary doses and 13,373 booster doses. The Ministry said 95 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 91 percent are double-dosed.