South Canterbury has 74 new cases; 15 people in hospital

There are 74 new Covid-19 cases in South Canterbury and 15 in Timaru Hospital.

Yesterday’s announcement from Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand South Canterbury (HNZSC) shows there are now

553 active cases in the region – down from 723 last Friday, and 21,752 cases have recovered here in 2022.

The organisation now releases Covid numbers for the region weekly on a Friday.

Of those new cases, 63 are in the Timaru District, six in the Waimate District, and five in the Mackenzie District.

This brings the total number of active cases in the Timaru District to 472, 51 in the Waimate District, 28 in the Mackenzie District, and two from unknown locations.

Visiting restrictions at Timaru Hospital were put in place from Saturday to Wednesday this week, after ‘‘a number’’ of patients and staff across wards tested positive for Covid-19.

The number of cases in hospital with Covid rose to 27 on Monday.

The organisation will hold a pop-up RAT and mask collection site on High St, Timaru, in the carpark behind Kensington, from 9am to 1pm on August 20, 27 and September 3, 10, 17 and 24. It will not be open tomorrow because of staff sickness, the HNZSC said. No preorder is needed, HNZSC says.

The vaccination team will be at Talbot Park, Otipua Rd, Timaru, on Monday and Tuesday from 9am to 4.30pm.

No appointments are needed and people are asked to head to one of the clinics if they, or their whā nau, are due for free flu jabs for tamariki aged 3 to 12, for pregnant people, those aged 65-plus, and Mā ori and Pacific peoples aged 55 to 64, free MMR vaccines for tamariki who got their first dose at 12 months, and the second dose at 15 months, and for people born on/or after January 1, 1969 who have only received one dose.

Free Covid-19 vaccines for those aged 5-plus, and first and second boosters, will also be available for eligible people.

Where to get a Covid-19 test:

The eligibility requirements for RATs have changed, and they are now free and widely available. You do not need Covid-19 symptoms or to be a household contact now. Moyles Pharmacy: 6 Dee St, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Dee Street Pharmacy: 5 Dee St, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Highfield Pharmacy: 145 Wai-iti Rd, Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Roberts Pharmacy: 45 Heaton St, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Waimate Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection sites:

Waimate Pharmacy: 84 Queen St, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19. health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Oak House Medical Centre: 161 Queen St, (03) 689-7676 (pick up from Gorge Rd entrance), Monday to Friday, 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Temuka Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection site:

Temuka RAT Collection Site: Hally Tce, (near Domain Ave), Sunday to Thursday, (closed Friday and Saturday), 12.30pm-4pm. Temuka Pharmacy: 81 King St, Monday to Friday, 1.30pm to 5.30pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Geraldine Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection site:

Geraldine Rugby Club: George St, Sunday to Thursday, (closed Friday and Saturday) 9am to 11.30am.

Fairlie Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection site:

Fairlie Health Care Depot: 78 Main St, Fairlie, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. Please note, before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).

Twizel Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection site:

MacKenzie Pharmacy, 6-7 Market Pl, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, every 2nd Saturday from July 1, 10am to 2pm. Before going to this collection site, you need to place an order via (requestrats.covid19.health.nz) or by ringing 0800 222 478 (option 3).