By RNZ.co.nz
There were 14,242 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Aotearoa in the week to midnight on Sunday, and a further 21 deaths related to the virus.
The 21 people added to the Covid-19 death tally brings the total number to 2716 people whose deaths are linked to the virus.
Of the new cases last week, 6061 were reinfections, according to the figures from the Ministry of Health today.
There were also 363 people with Covid-19 in hospital as of midnight Sunday, with nine cases in ICU.
The seven-day rolling average of cases is 2029.
Last week 12,129 new cases were reported and eight further deaths were attributed to the coronavirus.
Professor Michael Baker said New Zealand was experiencing its fourth wave of the virus, with numbers doubling in the last seven weeks.
Baker said hospitalisations had increased and watewater testing showed a significant rise in Covid-19 cases in the community.
He encouraged people to get the new Covid booster, isolate if they were infected, and mask up in poorly ventilated environments.
“It’s really important that everyone who has a position in authority thinks about the health of their workforce and their school population and the social venues that they operate in.”
Baker said he agreed with the government’s decision to keep isolation requirements as they are.
He questioned why any employer would want their employees to come to work with Covid-19 and likely infect co-workers and potentially, customers.
