New Zealand / Covid 19

Covid-19 update: Five more deaths, 7061 new community cases reported in NZ

13:22 pm on 16 May 2022

Five people have died with Covid-19 and another 7061 cases are confirmed in the community, the Ministry of Health says.

Photo: AFP

In its daily update, the ministry said that there were also 415 people in hospital with the virus, including 11 in intensive care. This compares with 384 people in hospital, eight in ICU, announced yesterday.

Fifteen more deaths of people with Covid-19 were also reported yesterday, with another 5745 new community cases also recorded.

Of the people who have died, three were from the Southern region; one was from Auckland and one was from Bay of Plenty.

One person was in their 50s, one person was in their 70s, and three were aged over 90.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 7702 - last Monday it was 7479.

Today's community cases were reported in Northland (205), Auckland (2413), Waikato (551), Bay of Plenty (249), Lakes (121), Hawke's Bay (216), MidCentral (234), Whanganui (93), Taranaki (194), Tairāwhiti (57), Wairarapa (74), Capital and Coast (509), Hutt Valley (177), Nelson Marlborough (223), Canterbury (1,005), South Canterbury (117), Southern (568), West Coast (52) and the location of three are unknown.

Another 47 cases were recorded at the border.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Saturday that she had tested positive for Covid-19, after her partner Clarke Gayford and their daughter, Neve, also tested positive last week.

Senior Minister Megan Woods told Morning Report today that Ardern has moderate symptoms and is following the advice she has given others and resting.

However, she is disappointed she will not play a full week in an important week in politics, with the delivery of the Budget on Thursday.