The Ministry of Health is today reporting 9241 new community cases of Covid-19, 761 current hospitalisations, and 29 deaths.

There are 15 people in ICU around New Zealand. There are 38 people in Bay of Plenty hospitals and 17 in Lakes hospitals.

There are 375 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in the Bay of Plenty in the last 24 hours, and 183 in the Lakes region.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 9984.

'Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 29 people with Covid-19,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. 'All these deaths occurred in the past 29 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 the 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 My Covid Record, and isolate if positive or while still symptomatic,' says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'If you're heading out to pick up free RATs and masks, please check the Healthpoint website to find your nearest participating pharmacy – as not all pharmacies are providing this service. People can also continue to request free COVID-19 RATs kits online.

'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.”

Mask up for added protection

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

The more layers of protection people put in place - such as mask wearing, vaccinations, and staying home when sick - the more they 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,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

As a general rule, the Ministry urges 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.

'You 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.”

Wider availability of antiviral treatments

From Monday July 18 2022, the access criteria for three antiviral treatments for Covid-19 will be widened to include a wider group of people at risk of severe illness from Covid-19 infection. This includes all people aged 75 years and over and those who have been admitted previously to an Intensive Care Unit directly as a result of Covid-19.

Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (branded as Paxlovid), molnupiravir (branded as Lagevrio) and remdesivir, an infusion treatment (branded as Veklury) are antivirals used in the community and hospitals to treat people with early Covid-19 at risk of severe illness.

'These antivirals reduce the risk of severe illness, which helps takes pressure off our health system,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

Among other things, this means GPs will be able to provide 'back pocket” prescriptions so that people at risk of acute respiratory illnesses can have their prescription ready should they test positive and can then start taking the medicine promptly.

Covid-19 hospitalisations

• Covid-19 Cases in hospital: total number 761: Northland: 25; Waitematā: 130; Counties Manukau: 54; Auckland: 102; Waikato: 56; Bay of Plenty: 38; Lakes: 17; Hawke's Bay: 28; MidCentral: 30; Whanganui: 20; Taranaki: 16; Tairawhiti: 4; Wairarapa: 9; Capital & Coast/Hutt: 57; Nelson Marlborough: 8; Canterbury/West Coast: 118; South Canterbury: 11; Southern: 38.
• Weekly Covid-19 hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 727 (This time last week 520)
• Average age of current Covid-19 hospitalisations: 64
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 15
• Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital*: Unvaccinated or not eligible (56 cases); partially immunised

*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: 4,028,909 first doses; 3,981,542 second doses; 33,665 third primary doses; 2,693,940 first booster doses: 169,760 second booster doses: 265,051 paediatric first doses and 139,822 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 25 first doses; 41 second doses; 38 third primary doses; 1,181 first booster doses; 16,870 second booster doses; 78 paediatric first doses and 573 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): 3,485
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 16,004
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,313
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last seven days as of 14 July 2022): 2.9 million

Covid-19 cases

• Total number of new community cases: 9,241
• Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 308
• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 9,984
• Seven day rolling average of community cases (as at same day last week): 8,687
• Number of active cases (total): 69,842 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 1,484,227
• 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* takes the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 1,805 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 20.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today: three were from Auckland region, four were from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, three were from Lakes, two were from Hawke's Bay, two were from MidCentral, two were from Wellington region, three were from Nelson Marlborough, four were from Canterbury/West Coast, four were from Southern.

Two were in their 60s, three were in their 70s, 16 were in their 80s and eight were aged over 90. Of these people, 19 were women and ten 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.

*Note that the number of deaths announced each day may fluctuate due to routine delays in reporting. Today's increase in reported deaths since yesterday reflects this delay, and includes eight people who died on July 14 and 11 who died on July 15.