Covid-19 Omicron update: Two virus-related deaths in Whanganui, 79 new community cases

Two Covid-19-related deaths in the Whanganui region were reported by the Ministry of Health today. Photo / NZME

The Whanganui region recorded two more Covid-19-related deaths on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health says.

They were among 23 Covid-related deaths reported across the country.

Overall, the total number of deaths related to the virus in Whanganui is 34.

The ministry also reported there were 79 new community cases in the region.

There were 15 people in Whanganui Hospital with the virus.

Nationally, the ministry reported 5939 new community cases of Covid-19.

There were 634 people in hospital with the virus throughout the country, 15 of which were in the ICU.

The government announced today that New Zealand would remain at the orange traffic light setting while hospitalisations remained elevated and pressure on the health system continued through winter.

Covid-19 minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said there was still significant pressure on hospitals from winter illnesses, so the current measures had a role to play in reducing Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations.

"The health system usually sees elevated pressure through September, so we would be hoping to see some sustained reductions in both cases and hospitalisations then," she said.

Current Covid modelling suggested cases may have peaked at around 11,000 per day in mid-July.

However, due to the current high levels of community infection, the burden on primary and hospital care systems and the highest level of mortality seen in the outbreak thus far, the protection framework would be kept the same.

"Our response to Omicron is moving in the right direction, but loosening settings before we are completely on top of it risk infections going up again. We just need to stay the course a little longer."

Under orange-light settings, people are required to wear a mask in most indoor settings, but people can visit cafés and bars, attend gatherings and events and go to gyms and hairdressers with no capacity limits.

"I ask Kiwis to continue with their healthy habits to protect themselves and their loved ones against Covid-19," Verrall said.

The government said there would be no changes to case isolation and household contact quarantine requirements and the next review setting would be in September.