New Covid cases sit at 4489

There are 4489 new community cases of Covid-19 reported, along with 496 people in hospital.

Health leaders provided the numbers along with a wider update on the Omicron outbreak and the winter health response yesterday.

Deputy-director general and Public Health Agency head Dr Andrew Old was joined by Dr Pete Watson, the interim national medical director of Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, for the update.

Old announced there were 4489 new community cases of Covid-19 yesterday.

There were 496 people in hospital with the virus, including 13 in intensive care.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers yesterday was 3975 – last Wednesday it was 4938.

The seven-day rolling average of hospitalisations was 541 – last Wednesday, it was 630.

Cases in hospital: Northland 23; Waitematā 60; Counties Manukau 56; Auckland 60; Waikato 73; Bay of Plenty 14; Lakes 12; Hawke’s Bay 36; MidCentral 19; Whanganui 5; Taranaki 9; Tairawhiti 1; Wairarapa 9; Capital & Coast 11; Hutt Valley 8; Nelson Marlborough 9; Canterbury 59; West Coast 4; South Canterbury 9; and Southern 19.

The average age of Covid19 hospitalisations was 65.