WELLINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 45 new COVID-19 cases in the community on Thursday, including 34 new Omicron infections, bringing the total tally in the country's current community outbreak to 11,601.

To date, there are 90 community cases of COVID-19 that are either confirmed as Omicron variant or have been linked to previously reported Omicron case, an increase of 34, according to the Ministry of Health.

Many of additional cases have previously been reported as COVID-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically. Therefore, many are not included in Thursday's reported new COVID-19 community cases, the ministry said in a statement.

"The number of cases and contacts are expected to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews," it said.

The 45 new COVID-19 infections reported on Thursday included 22 recorded in the largest city Auckland, two in nearby Waikato, three in Bay of Plenty, seven in the Lakes region, one in Taranaki, eight in Hawke's Bay, and two in Nelson, according to the ministry.

There are five COVID-19 patients in New Zealand hospitals, with one case in intensive care unit.

The country has recorded 15,466 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 1.16 million boosters, or the third doses, have been administered, it said. Over 124,000 5-to-11-year-olds have received a first dose.

The New Zealand government on Wednesday announced a three-phase plan that aims to slow down and curb the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.

According to the plan, the Phase One response to Omicron involves taking a Stamp It Out approach. Cases will need to isolate for 14 days and contacts for 10 days. The Phase Two response is to slow the spread and protect the vulnerable communities, and the isolation period for cases is reduced to 10 days and contacts to seven days.

At Phase Three, when cases are in the thousands, contact tracing will be made further changes to include household and household-like contacts only. This will mean the highest risk contacts will need to isolate. Enditem

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