WELLINGTON, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 23 new COVID-19 cases in the community on Wednesday, including 15 new Omicron cases, bringing the total tally in the country's current community outbreak to 11,564.

To date, there are 56 community cases of COVID-19 that have been confirmed as an Omicron case through whole genome sequencing, or are a suspected Omicron case because they have an identified link to a confirmed Omicron case. Whole genome sequencing is underway for all suspected Omicron cases to confirm the variant, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

These include 44 cases linked directly or indirectly, to a family event and other associated events in the largest city of Auckland on the weekend from Jan. 15 to 16.

The additional 15 Omicron cases reported on Wednesday are in Auckland, Taranaki and Nelson, said a ministry statement.

The 23 new COVID-19 infections reported on Wednesday included 12 recorded in Auckland, three in nearby Waikato, and five in the Lakes region, according to the ministry.

There are six COVID-19 patients in New Zealand hospitals, with none in the intensive care unit.

The country has recorded 15,369 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, it said.

To date, about 93 percent of the eligible people in New Zealand are fully vaccinated with at least two doses, said the ministry statement.

More than 1.11 million boosters, or the third doses, have now been administered, it said.

Almost 110,000 5-to-11-year-olds have now received a first dose, according to the ministry. Enditem

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