A Coromandel rest home is locked down with visits restricted to compassionate grounds amid an outbreak of Covid-19 which has infected at least 22 residents and 13 staff.

It comes as experts point to a new Christmas wave with reported Covid-19 cases increasing by 50 per cent recently and wastewater testing showing the number of active cases has more than doubled.

The Tararu Care Home manager, Jade Monigatti, said the Thames rest home was closed, “but we are considering visits on compassionate grounds”.

“Our team [is] doing the utmost to reduce the risk of further spread and our priority remains the health and safety of our residents and team members. We will be open for visits once this outbreak is over,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the rest home said the decision to limit visits was based on advice from the centre’s clinical team and infection prevention control specialists.

The Tararu Care Home in Thames, operated by Bupa, was the centre of a Covid-19 outbreak in November 2023. Photo / Google

“So yes, families can still visit their loved ones but they just need to ring first,” the spokeswoman said.

Ten residents are isolating with the virus, while 12 had already recovered, she said.

A further four staff members are isolating and nine had recovered, she said.

“We’ve been actively communicating with our [residents’] family members so they are all up to date with what’s going on.

“There is Covid everywhere, Covid is actually quite widespread at the moment,” she said.

Covid-19 wave for Christmas

Covid-19 cases are expected to peak just before Christmas, as a new wave sees a surge in infections across New Zealand.

Health officials are urging people to get their booster shots, as a “notable increase” of people fall ill with new Covid-19 variants.

In the latest data for November 6, the seven-day rolling for Covid cases was 896. The rolling average for the week prior was 601 cases.

University of Canterbury’s Professor Michael Plank said there had been a “notable increase” in cases over the past couple of weeks as new variants emerged and the population’s immunity waned.

“It’s a steady increase that looks like more of a slow burn. We are still at a significantly lower level than we were last Christmas. Things are increasing but they are increasing from a relatively low base.

Plank said the increase in cases was not a “cause for alarm” and pointed to steps people could take: “If you are feeling unwell, stay home, don’t go to that office party. Check that you are up to date with your vaccines.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.