There are 4924 new Covid-19 community cases, 424 people in hospital, and 11 deaths of people with the virus.
The seven-day rolling average of people in hospital with Covid was 405, up from 336 a week ago, the Ministry of Health said in its 1pm update on Sunday.
The 11 deaths reported on Sunday all happened in the past three days, and took the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1560, while the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths was 14.
Three of the people whose deaths were reported on Sunday were from Auckland region, one was from Taranaki, two were from MidCentral, two were from Canterbury, and three were from Southern.
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Two were in their 60s, two were in their 70s, four were in their 80s, and three were aged over 90. Of these people, five were women and six were men, the ministry said.
The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers was 6895 on Sunday, up from 4908 a week ago.
KEVIN STENT/Stuff
The Government has confirmed it will provide 50 masks for each student in years 4 to 7, in addition to 20,000 to 30,000 masks being distributed weekly to other school staff and students.
The average age of people in hospital with Covid on Sunday was 63, and there were seven cases in ICU or HDU, the ministry said.
There were 48,242 active cases, where people had been confirmed with Covid in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered.
On Saturday 31 Covid vaccine first doses were administered, along with 36 second doses, six third primary doses, 3500 booster doses, 93 paediatric first doses and 575 paediatric second doses.
Covid cases in hospital: Northland: 7; Waitematā: 106; Counties Manukau: 33; Auckland: 41; Waikato: 46; Bay of Plenty: 4; Lakes: 23; Hawke’s Bay: 11; MidCentral: 11; Whanganui: 3; Taranaki: 0; Tairawhiti: 2; Wairarapa: 5; Capital and Coast: 38; Hutt Valley: 8; Nelson Marlborough: 7; Canterbury: 54; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 2; Southern: 19.
In its updates, the ministry releases a total number of people who have died “with Covid” in a particular time period.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the virus killed those people, it just means they tested positive within 28 days of their death or immediately after.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
The seven-day rolling average of people in hospital with Covid was 405 on Sunday, up from 336 a week ago
The ministry later provides further information on the cause of these deaths on its website. You can read an explanation of how this works here.
Last Thursday Minister for Covid-19 Response Ayesha Verrall confirmed the country will stay at the orange traffic light setting.
The announcement was a result of a scheduled review of the Covid framework settings.
“Moving back to red is unnecessary at the moment. We can continue to manage the virus at orange, but are putting in place a range of additional measures to help manage a recent rise in cases,” Verrall said.
The Government also announced on Thursday that the advice for Covid reinfection has changed, with people experiencing symptoms more than 29 days after previous infection advised to isolate and test.
The previous window was 90 days. People with symptoms after 29 days who test positive will be required to isolate for seven days.
Verrall also announced that there would be 50 child-size masks made available for every year 4 to year 7 student from now until the end of the year.
