Coronavirus: New Zealand has 201 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in the community

New Zealand has 201 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, says Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay.

Of today's new cases, 181 are in Auckland, four are in Northland, one is in Taranaki and 15 are in Waikato - taking the total number of cases in Waikato to 218 (81 of whom have recovered).

One person with COVID-19 in Taranaki, first announced by the Ministry of Health last night, is included in today’s reported total. A further five cases in Taranaki, also reported last night, will be included in tomorrow’s figures.

Today a total of 1,946 cases are now reported as having recovered from Covid-19.

That brings the total number of active cases in the community to 3,250 (the total number of cases in this outbreak is now 5,196).

There are still 36 cases in Northland (nine of whom have recovered), six active cases in Taranaki and four cases in Christchurch (one of whom has recovered).

There are 85 people in hospital, including 11 patients in intensive care.

Auckland and parts of Waikato (Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton city, Huntly, Te Kuiti, Waipa, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Karapiro and Cambridge) are currently at alert level 3.

Auckland and Waikato have seen an easing of restrictions and are now at level 3 step 2.

The rest of the country is at alert level 2.

Previously, the Prime Minister revealed New Zealand will move into a new way of managing Covid-19 when District Health Boards have 90 per cent of their eligible populations vaccinated.

The traffic light system will use vaccine certificates to allow complying businesses to continue to operate at all times - and proposes to end nationwide lockdowns.

New Zealand has had 7,945 confirmed cases since the pandemic began last year and 33 deaths.