Photo: 123rf.com
There have been 2772 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand over the week to Sunday, and 31 further deaths attributed to the virus.
That is an decrease on the 3657 cases and 40 deaths reported by Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ last week.
Of the new cases, 1686 were reinfections.
There were 173 cases in hospital.
Te Whatu Ora also noted on its website that an issue with reported Covid cases and related hospital admissions, covering the period 27 May to 23 June, led to an undercount being published on 24 June.
"The underlying issue was identified and resolved. Affected counts have been updated and will appear higher than previously reported."
Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ announced last week it would scrap Covid sick leave for health workers from 14 July.
Chief executive Margie Apa said the organisation would revert to its "normal supports for staff when they are sick".
"As with other organisations, we will manage Covid-19 in the same way as other infectious illnesses."
But the Public Service Association, which represents 25,000 health workers, said people's lives would be put at risk if health workers could not stay home when unwell.
"This is simply irresponsible at a time when we are seeing a surge in Covid cases - taking away sick leave will cause more Covid transmission in hospitals amongst ill and vulnerable people," the union's health sector lead Andrew Skelly said.
The country was just emerging from its sixth big wave of Covid transmission in 30 months, which had seen 55 people a day hospitalised at its peak, he said.
Meanwhile, more than 20 residents at a Wellington retirement village have tested positive to Covid-19 in an outbreak.