There have been 18 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with 43 cases in MIQ.

Medical staff member with mask and protective equipment holds Coronavirus nasal swabs test tubes at drive-through testing point in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)           Photo: 123RF

 

 

In a statement, the Health Ministry said there were 34 people with the coronavirus in hospital, with two in intensive care.

Today’s new community cases were in Auckland (11), Waikato (4), Bay of Plenty (1) and Canterbury (2).

The seven-day rolling average of border cases is 31, while the rolling average for community cases is 26.

The Ministry said there have now been 266 Omicron cases detected at the border since the start of December, with more than 18,000 people being processed through Managed Isolation and Quarantine facilities in that time.

There were 41,664 booster doses given yesterday – 45 percent of the eligiable population have now received a booster shot – as well as 1421 first doses, 3595 second doses and 591 third primary doses.

Today the Cook Islands reopened its border to New Zealand.

Yesterday there were 28 new community cases, with 13 in MIQ.