Coronavirus: New Zealand has 144 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 and sadly one death

Today New Zealand has 144 new cases of Covid-19 in the community and sadly one death, reports the Ministry of Health.

The death is of a patient in their 80s at North Shore Hospital.

Of today's new cases, 127 are in Auckland, two are in Northland, four are in Bay of Plenty, one is in Hawke's Bay and nine are in Waikato.

The total number of cases in this outbreak is now 8,118.

To date, a total of 2,560 cases from this outbreak are now reported as having recovered from Covid-19.

The total number of cases in Auckland this outbreak is 7,494 (2,299 of whom have recovered), 430 in Waikato (179 of whom have recovered), 18 in Wellington (17 of whom have recovered), 77 cases in Northland (53 of whom have recovered), nine cases in Canterbury (four of whom have recovered), 26 active cases in the Lakes District, five cases in MidCentral (one of who has recovered), 48 active cases in Bay of Plenty, one active case in Hawke's Bay and three active cases in Wairarapa.

There are 82 people in hospital, including nine patients in intensive care.

To date, 92% of New Zealanders have had their first dose and 85% are fully vaccinated.

Auckland is currently at alert level 3 step 2.

The rest of the country is at alert level 2.

New Zealand will move to the new traffic light system at 11.59 on Thursday 2 December.

Once in the traffic light system, lockdowns, if they happen at all, are expected to be rare and more localised.

All businesses, including cafes and restaurants, will be able to open again once in the traffic light system with the use of vaccine certificates.

New Zealand has had 10,891 confirmed cases since the pandemic began last year and 43 deaths.