No captionYesterday, daily reported Covid-19 cases in the community dropped below 1000 for the first time since mid February. File image Photo: Unsplash / Annie Spratt

 

There are 1149 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today as the government prepares to announce whether restrictions will ease.

Cabinet will reveal its decision at a conference this afternoon.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 1480. Last Monday, it was 1778.

Over the weekend, there were 2299 new community cases, 911 on Sunday and 1388 on Saturday.

The ministry also said there were 225 Covid-19 cases in hospital today, including three in ICU.

The 225 cases in hospital were in Northland (1), Waitematā (46), Counties Manukau (28), Auckland (36), Waikato (18), Bay of Plenty (3), Lakes (3), Hawke’s Bay (1), MidCentral (8), Whanganui (1), Taranaki (1), Tairawhiti (0), Wairarapa (6), Capital & Coast (13), Hutt Valley (10), Nelson Marlborough (4), Canterbury (37), West Coast (1), South Canterbury (1) and Southern (7).

The average age of current Covid-19 hospitalisations is 63.

The seven-day rolling average of hospitalisations today is 241. Last Monday, it was 273.

On Covid-19 deaths, there were now a total of 1950 deaths confirmed as attributable to the virus, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor.

The seven-day rolling average increase in total deaths attributable to Covid-19 was now 5, the ministry said.

There were also 81 new Covid-19 cases reported at the border today and 159 over the weekend – 70 on Sunday and 89 on Saturday.

Yesterday, daily reported Covid-19 cases in the community dropped below 1000 for the first time since mid February.

But despite a steep drop in cases, doctors and nurses say they are still
working hellish shifts.