In a statement this afternoon, the Ministry of Health said nationally there were 6152 community cases and 663 current hospitalisations, including 28 in the South.
Fourteen people are in ICU.
The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 6142, down from 7776 last Thursday.
Case rates are starting to trend down, dropping 18% in the past week.
Healthcare worker testing and wastewater results showed a "true decline" in Covid cases, said Dr Andrew Old, head of the Public Health Agency.
Deaths and hospitalisations tend to lag case numbers, so in the same week case numbers dropped, hospitalisations increased 35%.
This is the fifth week in a row that rate has increased. Hospitals remain under significant pressure.
The latest modeling shows we are tracking at the lower end of BA5 for winter, Old said.
There were 49 new deaths reported today, including two from the Southern DHB area and ten from Canterbury.
Of the 49 people whose deaths we are reporting today: two were from Northland, 13 were from Auckland region, one was from Waikato, three were from Bay of Plenty, two were from Lakes, one was from Hawke's Bay, two were from Taranaki, one was from MidCentral, four were from Whanganui, seven were from Wellington region, one was from Nelson Marlborough, eight were from Canterbury, two were from South Canterbury, two were from Southern.
Two were in their 20s, one was in their 40s, two were in their 50s, four were in their 60s, 11 were in their 70s, 16 were in their 80s and 13 were aged over 90. Of these people, 23 were women and 26 were men.
Cases in hospital: total number 663: Northland: 17; Waitematā: 67; Counties Manukau: 54; Auckland: 95; Waikato: 80; Bay of Plenty: 25; Lakes: 11; Hawke’s Bay: 30; MidCentral: 28; Whanganui: 8; Taranaki: 19; Tairawhiti: 2; Wairarapa: 5; Capital & Coast: 22; Hutt Valley: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 23; Canterbury: 113; West Coast: 6; South Canterbury: 18; Southern: 28.
- Additional reporting NZ Herald
