New Zealand

The study, which is led by Victoria University, will ask nearly 8,700 people over the age of 16, what it was like to live with Covid-19.     

Pacific team leader Tuiloma Lina Samu is making sure people are able to take part in the survey in many Pacific languages. 

“If you are willing to take part, you can go through an interview with our Pacific researchers to fa’amatala, to go deeper into what you experienced when you went through Covid, as well your family members.”

La'auli Sir Michael Jones, who is supporting the Tonga relief effort, said a large chunk of the aid already in Tonga has been offloaded.

He said the food and water supplies bound for Tonga in the next shipment will also include rugby gear.

Photo: Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee  caption: The first shipment of aid sent to Tonga by New Zealand community members and businesses is finally being unpacked after completing mandatory quarantine on Tongatapu 

The event was due to be held from 18-20 March at Western Springs Park and marked the 30th anniversary of Pasifika.

The festival can only be delivered at the orange or green Covid-19 Protection Framework settings.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the cancellation is disappointing but the right call given the risks posed with Omicron spreading rapidly in the community.

Photo PMN News  Caption: Pasifika Festival

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the new cases are in Northland (16), Auckland (340), Waikato (48), Lakes (13), Bay of Plenty (14), Lakes (13), Taranaki (1), Hutt Valley (7), Capital & Coast (4), and Southern (3).

The ministry said the number of cases would continue to fluctuate from day-to-day but "our expectation is that cases will continue to increase in the coming weeks".

There has been a massive response from New Zealand communities.

Christchurch Tongan Community Secretary Sami Paeahelotu said youth groups, church leaders and families are among the many across Aotearoa fundraising and preparing their own shipping containers.

"It will be a great thing that for all people in Aotearoa to come together, but I think that's one thing that's important for us all in that not only as Tongan or Samoan or things and that but as humanity that we come together to help one another," he said.

They say more could and should have been done to avoid the crisis facing the 2021-2022 harvest season.

From 28 February, New Zealanders will be able to arrive back from Australia and expatriates from the rest of the world can return from 14 March.

Aotearoa was expected to open to foreigners from visa-waiver countries such as the United States no later than July.

For those who benefit from New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) Scheme, the move had come "too little too late".

Community Law Aotearoa blames the government for blocking scores of people from getting the official help that is available to other Afghans with visas.

Chief executive Sue Moroney also says Immigration New Zealand had just two officers processing their visas, and the whole situation "flies in the face" of the court's intentions.

There are about 800 Tongan's working in the horticulture and viticulture sectors under the government's Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme.

Many have been unable to get in touch with family since the eruption and tsunami.

The Horticulture sector is collecting donations for Tonga's recovery, and met on Friday to discuss how it can support Tongan workers based here.

Sefita Hauoli who represents Tongan RSE workers said it had been a really hard couple of years for the workers - as some have not been able to go home since the pandemic began.

Three ships have been deployed to assist with the aid effort with the HMNZS Canterbury the latest to set sail for Tonga overnight.

The ship has two NH90 helicopters, personnel and supplies onboard and is set to arrive in Tonga early next week.

The Defence Force are working with MFAT and the supplies onboard include water, tarpaulins and milk powder.

The HMNZS Canterbury is also carrying vehicles and several containers of construction equipment requested by Tongan authorities to assist with the recovery efforts following the eruption and tsunami.

The Auckland MIQ worker returned a positive test result as part of routine testing.

The Ministry of Health has now confirmed that the worker has caught the Omicron variant.

More than 50 close contacts have so far been identified.

All of the case's seven household contacts identified have already been contacted, isolated and tested, and returned a negative result.

The case and one household contact are now isolating in a MIQ facility. The remaining household contacts are isolating at locations in Auckland and Taupō.