COVID-19 Northland Hub

• Community Based Testing Centres - Venues and Hours
  
  
• Māori Health Provider Mobile Clinics
  
• General Practices
  
• Current Cases/State
• COVID-19 symptoms
• Wellbeing - Selfcare for You and Others
  
• Resources for Primary Care - updated 23 Dec 

COVID19 testing availability in Northland 

COVID-19 testing is available in Whangarei, seven days a week.

Callers to Healthline 0800 358 5453 are regularly asked to clarify if they have mild symptoms,  or if they are very unwell.

If someone is very unwell they can call ahead to Whangarei Hospital ED on 09 4304100 and ask for the Emergency Department, where they will be triaged, treated/tested accordingly – any day of the week.

On a Sunday, callers with mild symptoms may be advised to continue to self-isolate at home and to make an appointment with their GP the following day or visit a Northland DHB Community Based Testing Centre.

• Advice on how to get tested is available from Healthline 0800 358 5453 or your GP.
• If you have been advised by Public Health that you need a test you will be supported to get this testing.
• Community Testing Centre hours are detailed below.

Where should I be tested? 

Moderate – severe symptoms and need to see a doctor – call Healthline or your GP for advice. Testing is available from GPs and as part of ED and hospital care. 

Mild symptoms that you would not usually see a doctor for – Testing is available from Community Testing Centres and GPs. 

No symptoms but you are required to be tested as part of border surveillance or would like to be tested for some other reason – Testing is best done at a Community Based testing Centre but is also available from any GP. Note that testing for overseas travel is only available from a GP and there is a cost for this.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to common illnesses such as a cold or influenza. You may have one or more of the following:

• a new or worsening cough
• fever (at least 38˚C)
• shortness of breath
• a sore throat
• sneezing and runny nose
• temporary loss of smell.

Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.

Some people may present with less typical symptoms such as only: fever, diarrhoea, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), nausea/vomiting, or confusion/irritability.

Symptoms can take up to 14 days to show after a person has been infected. The virus can be passed onto others before they know they have it – from up to two days before symptoms develop.

If you have these symptoms call Healthline (for free) on 0800 358 5453 or your doctor immediately.

Read more about COVID-19 assessment and testing. 

Background

During the first wave 28 COVID-19 cases (26 confirmed and 2 probable) were diagnosed in Northland. The first case was reported on the 17 March 2020 and the last reported case was on the 16 April 2020.

Extensive work has gone into preparing a plan for case management and contract tracing activities (and COVID-19 testing) by Northland DHB’s Community Based Clinical Services and Ngā Tai Ora – Public Health Northland to prepare and respond and manage COVID-19 cases and/or their contacts across Northland.

As Northland and the rest of New Zealand are currently at COVID-19 Alert Level 1, any new community cases in Northland could potentially have a greater number of contacts (close and casual) than during the first wave.

However, it is important to remember that New Zealand border has never been more controlled than it is at present, with increased testing requirements for people coming from overseas and for staff working at the border than were in place during the first wave. 

Venue Location

Type of Venue

Days/Hours

Whangarei

20 Winger Crescent
Kamo

 Portacom

Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri

9am - 2pm

12 -12.30 Lunch Break

Whangarei Area

Ruakaka Testing Centre
Refining NZ Visitor Centre
Port Marsden Highway, Ruakaka 

 Visitor Centre

Monday Only

12pm - 2pm
General public 

3pm until 8pm
Border staff only

 Kaipara

Dargaville
Dargaville Hospital
Awakino Road
Dargaville

Portacom at the rear of Outpatients

Tuesday only
9am - 2pm

12 -12.30 Lunch Break

 Far North

Kaitaia Hospital
29 Redan Road
Kaitaia

Whare at front of the Hospital

Thursday only
9am - 2pm

12 -12.30 Lunch Break

Kerikeri
Turner Centre 
Cobham Rd

Portacom - please drive right in front of the wheel chair ramp if you don't see nurses outside.

Monday & Wednesday 
9am - 2pm

12 -12.30 Lunch Break

Kawakawa

2/4 Rayner Street

Ngāti Hine Health Trust

Tuesday & Wednesday
9am - 2pm

12 -12.30 Lunch Break

Hokianga 

Rawene Hospital

Venue Location

Please Note 

32 Reyburn Street
Whangarei

(09) 470 1083

Urgent Care Clinic

This Urgent Care Clinic provides COVID-19 testing as part of its usual business though it is not a testing centre.

Mon-Fri - 7.30am until 4pm

Sat - 8am until 12pm 

We recommend a Northland DHB Community Based Testing Centre or General Practice as the first point of call for a COVID-19 test. 

Prior to contacting White Cross, please check testing availability with your usual GP and the opening hours of a Community Based Testing Centre in your area.