The Ministry of Health is reporting 23 more deaths with the disease. One was from Northland, four were from Auckland region, three were from Waikato, three were from Hawke's Bay, one was from Taranaki, one was from MidCentral, two were from Whanganui, three were from Wellington region, three were from Nelson Marlborough and two were from Canterbury.
One was in their 50s, one was in their 60s, eight were in their 70s, six were in their 80s and seven were aged over 90. Ten were women and 13 were men.
The figures come Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall said the country would stay in the Orange alert level setting through winter.
There will be no changes to case isolation and household contact quarantine requirements, and the next review setting will be in September.
The ministry says the seven-day rolling average of cases today is 5120. Last Monday it was 6683.
There are 443 new cases in the Southern DHB area, and 31 people in southern hospitals with the virus.
Cases in hospital: Northland (34), Waitematā (65), Counties Manukau (49), Auckland (80), Waikato (54), Bay of Plenty (26), Lakes (15), Hawke's Bay (37), MidCentral (20), Whanganui (15), Taranaki (22), Tairāwhiti (two), Wairarapa (seven), Capital, Coast (18), Hutt (17), Nelson Marlborough (15), Canterbury (97), West Coast (five), South Canterbury (25) and Southern (31).
The weekly rolling average of Covid hospitalisations is 645, down from this time last week when it was 787.
NZ staying at Orange
"There's still significant pressure on hospitals from winter illnesses, so our current measures have an ongoing role to play in reducing the number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations", said Verrall.
"The health system usually sees elevated pressure through September, so we would be hoping to see some sustained reductions in both cases and hospitalisations then.
"Our response to Omicron is moving in the right direction, but loosening settings before we are completely on top of it risk infections going up again. We just need to stay the course a little longer."
Verrall said cases may have peaked at around 11,000 cases per day mid-July.
"However, due to the current high levels of Covid-19 infection in the community, the corresponding burden on primary and hospital care systems, and the highest levels of mortality seen in the outbreak so far, the Covid-19 Protection Framework setting has been kept the same."
Under Orange people are required to wear a mask in most indoor settings. People can visit cafes and bars, attend gatherings and events, and go to gyms and hairdressers — with no capacity limits or distancing requirements.
