Graph shows dramatic explosion of Omicron cases since outbreak began

  • 15/02/2022

Over the last five days there's been a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases, hitting 981 on Monday before falling slightly on Tuesday to 744.

During the Delta outbreak of 2021, the highest daily case total recorded was 222 in November. Between then and mid-January, cases fell, dropping right down into the low teens.

However, that didn't last long, with the Government announcing on January 23 the highly transmissible Omicron variant had been recorded in the community after only previously being detected in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ).

The sudden rise in cases since then is evident from the Ministry of Health graph below.

Graph shows dramatic explosion of Omicron cases since outbreak began
Photo credit: Ministry of Health.

In the days after Omicron was detected, daily case totals remained in the 20s. But by February, when the ministry said the variant had become dominant, more than 100 cases were regularly being recorded every day.

On February 5, New Zealand had a new record for highest daily case total - 243. It would only last a matter of days, with 306 cases reported last Thursday. The trajectory only got sharper from here, jumping to 446 on Friday, 454 on Saturday, 810 on Saturday and then 981 on Monday.

The recent outbreak of cases dwarfs that seen during the initial wave in 2020, the August cluster later that year and the Delta outbreak which forced Auckland into lockdown for months.

In response to the growing number of cases, the Government is moving the country to the second Omicron phase on Tuesday night. This doesn't impose any more restrictions, but changes the focus of contact tracing, isolation and testing towards more vulnerable people. Isolation periods have also been cut for both cases and contacts.

Health officials recognise Omicron won't be eliminated from the community and are instead focussing efforts on protecting people from severe illness.