There have been 7441 new community cases of Covid-19 and another 29 further deaths reported today, including five people aged under 40.

A positive result of rapid antigen test is seen in this illustration photoPhoto: AFP

 

There are 398 people in hospital, with six in ICU.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 7548, almost unchanged from last Friday’s 7555.

The 29 deaths of people with Covid-19 reported today include 14 people who have died in the past two days, with the rest dying between 24 March and 7 May.

Two people were in their 20s, three in their thirties, three in their fifties, four in their sixties, six in their seventies, three in their eighties and eight over the age of 90. Fourteen were women and 15 were men.

Six were from Auckland; one from Waikato, one from Taranaki, one from Tairawhiti, two from Hawkes Bay, two from Bay of Plenty, one from Whanganui, four from the Greater Wellington region, one from Nelson Marlborough, six from Canterbury, and four from Southern.

The total number of deaths of people with Covid-19 is now 940.

Today’s new cases were in the Northland (224), Auckland (2503), Waikato (531), Bay of Plenty (220), Lakes (105), Hawke’s Bay (218), MidCentral (240), Whanganui (56), Taranaki (202), Tairāwhiti (61), Wairarapa (100), Capital and Coast (457), Hutt Valley (182), Nelson Marlborough (252), Canterbury (1110), South Canterbury (154), Southern (742) and West Coast (80) DHBs.

There were also 78 cases at the border.

Yesterday the Health Ministry reported that another nine people with Covid-19 had died and there were another 9392 new cases.

There have now been 1,026,715 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins this morning announced that an optional updated vaccine pass which will include booster information would be available to download from 24 May.