There are 97 new community Covid-19 cases today. 

There are seven people in hospital with Covid-19. 

To date, 116 community cases of Covid-19 have either been confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case. 

Yesterday there was a total of 105 Omicron cases registered across New Zealand, so there is an increase of 11 today. 

There are 61 cases to report in Auckland today. 

Health officials are releasing the latest number of community Covid-19 cases as people in the upper North Island escape Auckland and other cities for the long anniversary weekend. 

Yesterday, a total of 105 new community cases of Covid-19 were reported, which accounts for both Omicron and Delta variants of the virus, as well as cases where the variant is not known. 

The cases were located in Auckland, Waikato, Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hawke's Bay, MidCentral, Nelson Tasman and Canterbury. One case in Northland and one in Bay of Plenty would officially be added to today's case numbers. 

Health officials confirmed earlier in the week that five people had tested positive for Covid-19, including one with Omicron, after attending Soundsplash, a Hamilton music festival. However, a teenager named Emma said that of her group of about 30 friends who went to the festival, she and 12 others had tested positive for the virus. 

"I got tested just as like a precaution and then when mine came back positive, I told everyone to get tested," she told RNZ. 

"Then everyone got tested and slowly the results have been coming back and it's been one out of every three has been positive." 

So far, five people in Auckland who attended the festival has tested positive for Covid-19, with one confirmed as having Omicron. 

Experts now fear the popular music festival which saw 8506 people gather on the outskirts of Hamilton from Friday to Sunday has the makings of a super-spreader event and even accelerated the spread of Omicron across New Zealand. 

Yesterday, the ministry warned that as New Zealand saw more Omicron cases, an increase in the total number of daily community cases was expected. 

In the Bay of Plenty, eight of yesterdays Omicron cases are linked to an early childhood centre. 

In the past 21 days, there have been 567 active community cases. 

At least 90 per cent of residents in 17 DHB regions have now had two doses of Covid-19 vaccine with West Coast DHB the latest to reach the milestone. 

Meanwhile, a new unlinked case in Palmerston North was announced yesterday. The ministry says this case is not linked to any previously reported cases in the region and investigations are continuing to determine any links to other cases. 

Public health staff are also working to identify any close contacts to the case.