Today, there are 11,382 Covid community cases, 765 current hospitalisations, and 23 deaths being reported.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 9826, says the Ministry of Health in its daily 1pm update.

"Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 23 people with Covid-19. All these deaths occurred in the past seven days.

"The Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora – Health NZ are closely monitoring the continued increase in Covid-19 positive cases and hospitalisations as part of our ongoing review and updating of the response to the current community outbreak.

"The increase in cases and hospitalisations emphasises the importance of everybody doing the basics well to help prevent infection and serious illness. In particular, people should stay home if they are unwell, take a rapid antigen test (RAT) and upload the result on MyCovidRecord, and isolate if positive or while still symptomatic.

"It is important to ensure you are up to date with all vaccinations, including COVID-19 vaccinations. Many are now eligible for a second booster dose, and flu vaccinations, which are free for many people."

People urged to continue to wear their masks

"Wearing a mask remains one of our best measures to reduce transmission against infectious respiratory illnesses, including Covid-19," says the ministry.

"The more layers of protection we put in place - such as mask wearing, vaccinations, and staying home when sick - the more we reduce the risk of spreading respiratory viruses.

"Even if you're fully vaccinated, or have had Covid-19, continuing to wear a face mask is important in keeping you, your whanau and your community safe.

"As a general rule, we urge people to wear a mask in public indoor settings outside the home and in poorly ventilated spaces, or when it is hard to physically distance from other people."

People must wear a mask on public transport and at transport hubs like airports and bus stations, inside public venues like museums and libraries, when visiting a health care service, and inside retail businesses like supermarkets and shopping malls.

"Masking up is particularly important when around more vulnerable members of the community, especially those who are older, those in aged residential care and healthcare settings where appropriate.

"Wearing a mask also helps protect our healthcare and aged residential care staff, reducing their chances of becoming unwell and supporting them to continue to provide care to those that need it."

There are many tips to help reduce your chance of serious illness this winter. See the information in the links below.

• View a video of these tips on the Ministry's Facebook page
• Guidance if you or someone you know tests positive or becomes a household contact
• Information on mask use at Orange
• Getting a flu jab

Winter illness update

(This update is provided each Thursday)

• Of the 38 people in Auckland and Counties Manukau hospitals for SARI illnesses (severe acute respiratory infections), Covid-19 was the cause of the infection for 18 per cent and Influenza was the cause for 32 per cent.
• Other causes of infection were rhinoviruses and enteroviruses (39 per cent)
• Although the current rate of SARI hospitalisations in Auckland and Counties Manukau is in line with rates seen in recent years, SARI-associated influenza hospitalisation is the highest in the past 10 years.

Covid-19 hospitalisations

• Covid-19 Cases in hospital: total number 765: Northland: 17; Waitematā: 133; Counties Manukau: 54; Auckland: 105; Waikato: 55; Bay of Plenty: 47; Lakes: 17; Hawke's Bay: 27; MidCentral: 33; Whanganui: 18; Taranaki: 15; Tairawhiti: 4; Wairarapa: 12; Capital & Coast: 32; Hutt Valley: 27; Nelson Marlborough: 12; Canterbury: 94; West Coast: 3; South Canterbury: 15; Southern: 45.
• Weekly Covid-19 Hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 673 (This time last week 474)
• Average age of current Covid-19 hospitalisations: 63
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 11
• Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital*: Unvaccinated or not eligible (51 cases); partially vaccinated

*These are new hospital admissions in the past 7 days prior to yesterday who had Covid at the time of admission or while in hospital, excluding hospitalisations that were admitted and discharged within 24hrs. This data is from Districts with tertiary hospitals: Auckland, Canterbury, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital & Coast, Waitemata and Northland.

Covid-19 vaccinations administered

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,028,844 first doses; 3,981,467 second doses; 33,572 third primary doses; 2,691,660 first booster doses: 136,292 second booster doses: 264,907 paediatric first doses and 138,735 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 30 first doses; 41 second doses; 76 third primary doses; 1,026 first booster doses; 15,573 second booster doses; 78 paediatric first doses and 486 paediatric second doses
• More detailed information, including vaccine uptake by District, is available on the Ministry website.

Tests

• Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 4,054
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 18,425
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,365
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last seven days as of 12 July 2022): 2.3 million

Covid-19 cases

• Total number of new community cases: 11,382
• Covid re-infection in community cases 412, of which 144 were cases between 29 and 90 days of a previous infection
• Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 334
• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 9826
• Seven day rolling average of community cases (as at same day last week): 8013
• Number of active cases (total): 68,737 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 1,464,237
• Location of new community cases by district over past 24 hours

You can also view a detailed breakdown of daily case numbers for each District since the beginning of the pandemic by clicking the ‘download' button on the right hand side of this page: New Zealand COVID-19 data

Please note, the Ministry of Health's daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a District or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

Covid-19 deaths

Today's reported deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1760 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 20.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today: four were from the Auckland region, one was from Waikato, one was from Bay of Plenty, one was from Lakes, one was from Taranaki, one was from Hawke's Bay, two were from MidCentral, one was from the Wellington region, two were from Nelson / Marlborough, seven were from Canterbury, one was from South Canterbury and one was from Southern.

One was less than 10 years old, five were in their 70s, nine were in their 80s and eight were aged over 90. Of these people, 11 were women and 12 were men.

"This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment on today's reported deaths."