Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: 22,270 cases over past week, 56 further deaths

Reported Covid-19 cases continue to fall across the New Year holiday period. Photo / Alex Burton

There are 22770 new reported Covid cases.

As of midnight Sunday there were 436 people in hospital across New Zealand. Eight are in ICU.

Six people were in their 50s, one was in their 60s, 13 were in their 70s, 19 were in their 80s and 17 were aged over 90. Of these people, 28 were women and 28 were men.

Of the 56 people who died 19 were from Auckland region, seven were from Waikato, three were from Bay of Plenty, one was from Lakes, three were from Hawke’s Bay, two were from Taranaki, two were from MidCentral, one was from Whanganui, four were from Wellington region, three were from Nelson Marlborough, five were from Canterbury, and six were from Southern.

Nearly a third of new reported cases were reinfections.

The New Zealand government is still considering pre-testing for those travelling from China as concerns mount about an explosion of Omicron subvariants BA.5.2 and BF.7 spreading beyond the republic’s borders after restrictions were recently lifted.

A number of countries, including the US and Australia, have introduced a requirement for all passengers from China to produce a negative pre-departure test.

The ministry reported 32,010 new cases in the week encompassing the Christmas holiday, with nearly a third of people indicating it was not the first time they had been infected.

It said 78 people died with and from Covid in the previous update, including a child under 10 and six people in their 50s. The deaths were between December 19 and Christmas Day.

As of midnight on Christmas Day, 413 people were in hospital with the virus, including 15 in intensive care.

The number of those needing medical intervention had dropped markedly after reaching 581 in hospital just days before Christmas.

Rapid drop-off

Covid-19 cases have declined markedly over the holiday period but an expert believes this may be partly because of under-reporting, rather than people not getting sick.

Reported case numbers began falling a few weeks ago and University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr David Welch previously told the Herald there had been a “really rapid drop-off” since then.

“Although we may well be past the peak now, I think a lot of people just aren’t reporting.”

Welch said it was hard to rely on case data at this time of year, and hospitalisation numbers would reveal if New Zealand was past the peak.

“If people need to go to the hospital, they go to the hospital, whether it’s a holiday or not.”

On Christmas Day, 2150 cases of Covid-19 were reported while 427 people were in hospital with the virus, including 15 in intensive care.

A week before Christmas the ministry reported 42,740 new cases of Covid in the community and 64 deaths.

While the holidays were a time many meet relatives and friends and enjoy large events, Welch told the Herald it didn’t necessarily mean infections would increase.

“There is a lot of socialising going on, but there’s a lot less of that sort of day-to-day contact that people have in schools or workplaces or that sort of thing. And it’s pretty good weather around the country, people have got their windows and doors open and are spending their time outside.”

However, Welch said one thing to be concerned about was older family members who may be prone to more serious illness.

“We may see a reduction in cases but maybe a pick-up in cases in older age groups, which could lead to higher hospitalisations as well.”