Photo: 123rf.com - RNZ / Composite Image - RNZ
There are 27,076 new cases of Covid-19 this week, the Ministry of Health says.
There were also 58 deaths of people with Covid-19 and 328 people with the virus were hospitalised - 10 in ICU.
Of the 58 deaths being reported today, three were from Northland, 19 were from the Auckland region, six were from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, one was from Lakes, one was from Tairawhiti, one was from Hawke's Bay, two were from MidCentral, one was from Whanganui, five were from Wellington region, one was from Nelson Marlborough, nine were from Canterbury, two were from South Canterbury and four were from Southern.
One was in their 20s, two were in their 30s, two were in their 40s, two were in their 50s, eight were in their 60s, 18 were in their 70s, 16 were in their 80s and nine were aged over 90.
Of these people, 24 were women and 34 were men.
Last week saw 24,068 cases reported, and 40 deaths - including one of a child under the age of 10.
The seven-day rolling average of community cases is 3863 - last Monday it was 3434. Of the new cases, 6547 are reinfections.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 3383 deaths have been attributed to Covid-19.
Earlier this month, health officials warned that hospitalisations of people with the virus were increasing and New Zealand could see daily cases peak at around 11,000 a day over the summer, driven by the mix of variants currently circulating.
Around the same time, Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said New Zealand was in the grip of its "third Omicron wave".
He told RNZ that while socialising was important over the Christmas and New Year period, people should ensure they were taking adequate precautions to reduce the likelihood of them contracting Covid-19.
Baker said holding functions in well-ventilated venues was a good idea, and those eligible for boosters who had not yet had them should make that a priority.
"Get any booster you can that you're eligible for, it will give you a lot of protection. Vaccination decreases all of those risks, including long-Covid," he said.
Wearing a mask while in crowded areas was also something he recommended.
"I would certainly consider using a mask in a very tightly packed, poorly ventilated shopping situation."
