Covid 19 Omicron variant: 20 deaths with Covid and 6460 community cases

New Zealand will remain at the orange traffic light level for now, Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced this week. Photo / Mark Mitchell

There are 6460 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, and 20 new deaths.

There are also 423 people in hospital with the virus, including seven in intensive care.

The latest update from the Ministry of Health comes as cases are increasing, putting the health system under pressure as the virus and other contagious diseases spread and the winter chill bites.

The seven-day rolling average continued to rise with 6825 cases. Last Saturday the number was 4737.

Nineteen of the deaths occurred in the last three days, and one occurred on June 22, the ministry said.

The number of new cases who had recently travelled overseas is 166.

Today's new cases bring the total number of people known to have been infected with Covid-19 in New Zealand since the pandemic began to 1,345,175.

There are 47,755 active cases of the virus in the community, with 11,622 rapid antigen test results reported in the last 24 hours. There were also 3296 PCR tests in the last 24 hours, above the seven-day rolling PCR testing average of 3147.

Today's reported deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 in New Zealand to 1549, and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths to 14, up two from yesterday.

Those who died were nine women and 11 men, five of whom were in their 70s, six in their 80s and nine aged over 90.

Five each were from Auckland and Southern, at the bottom of the South Island, and two each were from Bay of Plenty and South Canterbury. There was one death each in Waikato, Lakes, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, MidCentral, and Nelson Marlborough.

The number of people in hospital also continues to rise - after the ministry yesterday warned the health system was under "significant pressure".

The seven-day rolling average for those in hospital with Covid-19 is 392, up from 340 a week ago.

The average age of those in hospital is 63.

Our biggest population centre continues to account for most of the hospitalisations, with West and North Auckland hardest hit with 92 people in Waitematā hospitals.

There are also 47 people hospitalised with Covid-19 in Auckland, and 29 in Counties-Manukau.

The other hospitalisations are in: Northland (4), Waikato (41), Bay of Plenty (14), Lakes (25), Hawke's Bay (11), MidCentral (11), Whanganui (3), Taranaki (8), Wairarapa (9), Capital and Coast (35), Hutt Valley (8), Nelson Marlborough (10), Canterbury (50), South Canterbury (3), West Coast (2) and Southern (21).

No one with Covid-19 is in Tairāwhiti hospitals.

Of new admissions to hospital, 49 were unvaccinated or not eligible, four were partially vaccinated, 55 were double-vaccinated and 224 were boosted.

Vaccination data is based on new admissions in the seven days to yesterday who had Covid-19 at the time of admission, or while in hospital, excluding those discharged within 24 hours.

It's also only collected from Auckland, Canterbury, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital & Coast, Waitematā and Northland hospitals.

There were 7757 booster doses given to over-12s yesterday, along with 32 first doses, 47 second doses and 37 third primary doses.

Fifty-four children aged 5 to 11 received their first Covid-19 vaccination, and 354 their second.

Meanwhile, health services are planning for a "challenging winter", the ministry said yesterday.

"Our traditional winter illnesses are circulating in the community along with Covid-19.
This is putting significant pressure on all parts of the health system.

"Health services have been planning for a challenging winter and are working regionally to manage capacity and demand, prioritise urgent care and deliver as much planned care as possible."

The public could help by doing "their bit to help us get through winter".

"The best thing New Zealanders can do to ensure they and their families don't end up in hospital is to be up-to-date with their flu and Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters," the ministry said.

The Government announced this week that the eligibility for free flu jabs had been widened to include 800,000 more people, including children aged 3 to 12, and second Covid-19 boosters would be available for older Kiwis.

Anyone over 50 can now get their second booster, along with health workers aged over 30.

The eligibility for a second Covid-19 booster has been widened. Photo / File

Keeping up good public health habits would also help stop the spread of ills, including social distancing, washing hands, wearing a mask and staying home and testing when sick.

The public were also reminded to be "patient and kind" to health workers if faced with delays in accessing health services.

"Often delays are due to health professionals treating someone more seriously ill first."

All Covid-19 test results should also be self-reported on your My Covid Record, the ministry said.

"This helps us to understand the spread of Covid-19 and where to direct our public health resources."

At least one school is also introducing measures to prevent the spread of the virus, requiring students going to the private Auckland school's ball tonight required to provide a negative rapid antigen test before entry.

Pinehurst School is testing all students and guests ahead of tonight's event at the Hilton Hotel.

The country remains at the orange traffic light level following a review of the settings this week.

Moving back to red was unnecessary at the moment as the virus was still being managed at orange, new Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall said on Thursday.

But additional measures were being introduced to reduce the spread of the virus, including giving every Year 4 to 7 pupil 50 child-sized masks, and an additional 20,000 to 30,000 masks a week being given to all other students and school staff.

Extra funding would be made available to schools and early childhood services to support better ventilation over the winter months.

Reinfection advice has also been changed, with anyone experiencing symptoms more than 28 days after a previous infection needing to test and isolate if they receive a positive result.

However, household contacts who've had Covid-19 within 90 days won't need to isolate unless they are symptomatic, Verrall said.

Reinfections were low at the moment but likely to increase, she said.