Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 1800 new cases, 10 Covid-related deaths as traffic light system reviewed

There are 1800 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.

The Ministry of Health has also reported a further 10 Covid-related deaths.

There are 269 people in hospital with the virus, including three in intensive care.

The weekly average of cases continues to decline, moving from 2855 last Friday to 1948 today.

It is the first time the weekly rolling average of new infections has dipped under 2000 since the Omicron outbreak started in February.

Among those who have died, one person who was in their 60s, one in their 70s, six in their 80s and two aged over 90.

One person was from Northland, two were from Auckland, one was from Hawke's Bay, two were from MidCentral, one was from Wellington region and two were from Canterbury.

Hundreds of people with the virus have been hospitalised across the country. They are in Northland (four), Waitematā (44), Counties Manukau (25), Auckland (50), Waikato (38), Bay of Plenty (nine), Lakes (seven), Hawke's Bay (three), MidCentral (13), Taranaki (three), Wairarapa (four), Capital & Coast (17), Hutt Valley (five), Nelson Marlborough (four), Canterbury (31), South Canterbury (five) and Southern (seven).

The weekly rolling average of hospitatlisations has also declined from 400 last Friday to 307 today.

Meanwhile, 102 of the 1800 cases reported today had recently travelled overseas.

In total, there are 13,633 active cases in the country.

In the past seven days there has been an average of six deaths confirmed each day as being attributable to Covid-19, and in total to date 1910 deaths have been confirmed as attributable to the virus.

While the Government signals a potential overhaul of Covid restrictions, new cases and hospitalisations over the past seven days continue to steadily fall.

This morning, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced after living with the traffic light system for nearly a year, it was time to look at whether current settings were still "fit for purpose".'

It comes as the country sees seven-day rolling averages of new infections tumble by 1000 cases a week and hospitalisations fall by 100 a week.

Yesterday, there were 2066 community cases and 286 people with Covid in hospital. Three people were in ICU and there were just two Covid-related deaths.

Today, it was revealed disability providers had been emailed for feedback on possible changes to mask mandates.

Ardern said the Government was not just looking at a review of the traffic light system but at "broader settings more generally".

"We have a regular process of looking at what our current case numbers are.

"We've been living with the traffic light system for upwards to a year now - now is the time for us to look at whether all those settings are fit for purpose. We include masks in that," Ardern said.

The settings would be reviewed in light of the changing seasons modifying the risk profile of the pandemic.

"As we come out of winter we will be looking at whether those settings are fit for purpose now," she said.

Earlier today, health providers voiced concerns about the impact of the proposed changes, and that rushed consultation could lead to the voices of disabled people not being properly heard.

An email sent to disability support providers by the Ministry of Disabled People this week asked for feedback within 24 hours on a proposal to "significantly narrow" where masks had to be worn.

The requirement for visitors to wear a mask would only extend to primary care, urgent care, hospitals, aged residential care, and disability-related residential care.

Other health services such as dentists, physiotherapists, optometrists, audiologists, counselling, home-based care and clinical psychologists would become exempt.