Health authorities are reporting a further 8395 new community cases of Covid-19 in the country today along with a further 17 deaths with the virus.
A Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test. File photo Photo: 123rf.com
In today's statement, the Ministry of Health said there were 689 people in hospital with 13 in ICU or HDU.
The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 9279.
Of the deaths being reported today, the ministry said one was from Northland, seven were from the Auckland region, one was from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, one was from Taranaki, one was from South Canterbury, three were from Capital & Coast/Hutt and one was from Canterbury/West Coast .
Five were in their 70s, five were in their 80s and seven were aged over 90.
That takes the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1688 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 17.
There were also 280 new cases at the border.
The ministry said it was closely monitoring the steady increase in Covid-19 positive hospitalisations as part of an ongoing review.
"The increase in hospitalisations also emphasises the importance of everybody doing the basics well to help New Zealand get through winter in good shape," it said.
The ministry reminded people that wearing a mask remains one of the best measures to reduce transmission against infectious respiratory illnesses, including Covid-19.
"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 whānau 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."
The ministry said 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.