There were 40 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Central Otago today.

It brings the total number of cases in the district to 445.

A total of 795 new positive cases were reported in the past 24 hours across the wider Southern District Health Board and 14,307 in the past 90 days.

A statement by Southern District Health Board (SDHB) said of those cases, there were eight people in hospital in Dunedin and four in Southland.

Dunedin has 7581 cases, Queenstown-Lakes 2817, Invercargill 1355, Waitaki 710, Southland 570, Clutha 450 and 395 in Gore (as of March 13) .

A SDHB spokesperson encouraged anyone who has not yet received their booster vaccination to do so.

"It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to build full protection against Covid-19, so the time to act is now."

Alexandra’s Terrace School moves year eight to online learning

There are five reported cases of Covid-19 at The Terrace School in Alexandra.

As a result, the school has moved the year eight class to online learning from home for the rest of the week.

In an email sent to families on Monday afternoon, principal Sarah Graham said that moving year eight to online learning at home was a precautionary measure and an effort to protect as many others in the school as possible.

“With Teacher only day on Friday 18 March and the long weekend due to Otago anniversary day, it gives us a good opportunity to put in a circuit breaker with the least disruption to our school whanau as possible.”

The email said the school has 13 households isolating and six active Covid-19 cases.

Almost all of the cases were in the year eight team.

Sarah said whanau needed to monitor children for any signs of Covid related illness and get them tested if they developed symptoms. 

Get more information about covid-19 symptoms here. Testing locations can be found on the WellSouth website.  

A full list of clinics currently offering vaccinations for 5–11-year-olds can be found at www.southernhealth.nz/COVID19/vaccine/children. 

If you have any questions about Covid-19, self-isolation, or what you need to do if you test positive, please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453. 

If you are self-isolating and require welfare support such as help getting groceries, please call 0800 512 337.