Case numbers rise as ‘fifth wave’ of Covid intensifies

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

New Zealand’s “fifth wave” of Covid-19 continues to impact on Tairāwhiti

For the week up to midday on Sunday, 107 active cases were reported in the district.

This followed 74 cases from the previous week — the highest number recorded for months.

Official figures up to midday on Sunday, show 39 deaths were recorded across the country (none in Tairāwhiti) compared to 27 the previous week.

There were 349 people in hospitals at midnight on Sunday, with  two others in ICU.

Tairāwhiti has recorded a total of 2591 cases since Covid broke out in early 2020.

The national total is 2,505,632.

Of the 39 deaths reported last week, two were from Northland, seven from Auckland, five from Waikato, three from Rotorua-Taupo, two from Hawke’s Bay, one from Manawatu, one from Whanganui, three from Wellington, two from Nelson-Marlborough, five from Canterbury, and eight from Otago-Southland.

One was aged in their 40s, one was in their 50s, four were in their 60s, four were in their 70s, 21 were in their 80s and eight were over 90.

Of these people, 18 were women and 21 were men.