Parents are being warned to monitor kids' health over the looming school holidays.

Covid-19 cases back on the rise, more staff hired to fill surge in passport demand and more details revealed of Chicago Independence Day Parade mass shooting in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

Another wave of Covid-19 could be on its way with a new Omicron subvariant seeing case numbers back on the rise. Video / NZ Herald / Ben Cummins

'Just like BA.2 took over from BA.1, BA.5 is going to do the same.'

The rise comes as the health system feels the pressure from Covid-19 and winter illnesses.

The man accused of killing Laisa Waka Tunidau in random attack was in mental health care.

Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority will replace the country's 20 DHBs.

MP's promise comes after Herald exposed investigation into claims women harmed by its use.

Eight women say they never gave consent for surgical mesh to be implanted into their body.

The Māori Health Authority has the right medicine to make Aotearoa a healthier country.

More than 8000 cases were announced yesterday.

Expert: 'We can see in the numbers, by every indicator, it's a huge ongoing problem.'

Health professionals are concerned that the uptake of extra shot will be low.

Second booster - or fourth dose - is now available for everyone aged over 50.

More Kiwis will have access to free flu shots and be eligible for a second booster.

There were 8638 new community cases & 24 deaths reported yesterday for the past two days.

Kiwis outside Auckland were more blase about masks before Covid-19 came to them.

The number of daily cases has dropped by almost 1000 compared with a week ago.

'You may not make a mistake but somebody else might.'

'Each variant has had different characteristics,' says Ayesha Verrall.

New Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said alongside Director-General of Health Dr Ashely Bloomfield that lockdowns and border closures would still be a last resort. Video / Mark Mitchell

Apology for stranded pregnant Kiwis during lockdown, fourth Covid vaccine dose passes into law and trains in the UK grind to a halt with strike action in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

Five days of court time needed for Northland's "tooth fairy" case involving 20 witnesses

Overseas data suggests the country is in for another surge soon.

In some hospitals, the flu is now a greater cause of respiratory hospitalisation.

Nurses organisation says NZ is more than 4000 staff short and urgent action is needed.

18 out of 20 DHBs didn't reach the 95 per cent of ED patients seen within six hour target.