Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 6635 cases, six deaths today as some schools reintroduce mask wearing

Today's Covid case figures take New Zealand's total number of active cases to 56,335. Photo / File

There are 6635 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.

The Ministry of Health reported a further six Covid-related deaths.

There are 400 people in hospital with the virus, including 12 in intensive care.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 7972 – last Saturday it was 7595.

The six deaths reported today take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1045, and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths to 13.

The deaths included two people in the Auckland region and one each in Northland, Taranaki, Canterbury and the Southern regions.

One of those who died was in their 60s, two were in their 70s, two were in their 80s and one was over 90.

Two were women and four were men.

The 400 people in hospital include 10 people in Northland, 38 in Waitemata, 39 in Counties Manukau, 80 in Auckland, 38 in Waikato, 10 in Bay of Plenty, two in Lakes, one in Tairāwhiti, 14 in Hawke's Bay, 12 in Taranaki, four in Whanganui, 11 in Mid Central, two Wairarapa, five in Hutt Valley, 17 in Capital and Coast, eight in Nelson Marlborough, 61 in Canterbury, 10 in South Canterbury, two in West Coast and 36 in Southern.

There are 12 people in intensive care, and the average age of those in hospital is 61.

Among those hospitalised in the Northern Region, 28 cases or 12 per cent are unvaccinated, seven cases or 3 per cent have had only one dose or only recently had their second shot, while 56 cases or 24 per cent have had two doses at least seven days before being reported as having Covid.

Another 143 cases or 60 per cent had received a third booster shot, while the vaccination status of three cases or 1 per cent was not yet known.

The location of today's new community cases are Northland (194), Auckland (2222), Waikato (527), Bay of Plenty (205), Lakes (121), Hawke's Bay (255), Mid Central (190), Whanganui (94), Taranaki (172), Tairāwhiti (57), Wairarapa (67), Capital and Coast (466), Hutt Valley (177), Nelson Marlborough (206), Canterbury (985), South Canterbury (106), Southern (519), West Coast (67) and five were yet to be linked.

There are also 85 imported cases.

Overall, there are 56,335 active Covid cases in New Zealand.

So far, 95 per cent of eligible Kiwis have had two vaccine doses, while 71 per cent have also had a third booster dose.

Today's data comes as two Auckland schools revert to compulsory mask-wearing in classrooms, one after several students and staff involved with a school production tested positive.

Masks must now be worn in class at Takapuna Grammar from Monday and will be returned to use in Pt Chevalier School's Year 4 to 6 classrooms - with Years 1 to 3 also encouraged to mask up.

Takapuna Grammar principal Mary Nixon told parents in a newsletter yesterday it'll be compulsory for students and staff to wear masks while in class, indoors and on buses.

"There is no apparent spread of Covid in classes or while at school but there are several staff and students involved in the school production Mamma Mia who have tested positive for Covid," she said.

"The total of staff and students currently testing positive for Covid is 6.9 per cent and household contacts is 3.9 per cent."

Point Chevalier School principal Stephen Lethbridge said a decision to bring back compulsory mask-wearing in class for all Year 4 to 6 students had been taken at his school after noticing increasing cases.

"We think it is prudent that we make sure we keep staff and kids as safe as possible," Lethbridge said.

"We've noticed that we've got significantly more cases around the school and community this week than we did last week and the week before and that's in line with growing cases across the Auckland region."

Lethbridge believed other schools had already taken or were in the process of taking a similar approach.

Schools knew their communities best, the Ministry of Education said in response to the schools' decision.