Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Ministry of Health to start new way of providing Covid updates

Restrictions have been eased in NSW, but concerns have been raised after a spike in COVID-19 infections in the state. Video / Sky News

The way we get our daily updates on the country's current Covid situation - including how many new cases there are in the community - will officially change from today.

The public and media have become used to the usual 1pm updates via a usually scheduled press conference or statement from the Ministry of Health emailed to media outlets each day.

But from today, health officials will instead publish an article outlining the latest Covid-19 numbers and situation and then send the information out via its Twitter page.

The way the Covid updates will be reported, including information on new cases and vaccination numbers, will change from today. Photo / Alex Burton

The statement will no longer be emailed to media and because it will be published on social media networks, members of the public will be able to see it at the same time.

The Health Ministry is also making changes around data sets - the number of Covid cases identified in the community or at the border in a 24-hour period between 9am yesterday and 9am today, for example.

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From today, that information will move to a midnight to midnight reporting system.

A ministry spokesman told Stuff that the new timeframe would help reduce the time spent reconciling reporting of figures between the ministry and district health boards.

"[It] should also resolve the issue of the 1pm statement regularly coming out late," he said.

Lower Covid numbers expected today as new system kicks in

As the system starts today, it is expected then that the number of reported Covid cases in today's update will be lower.

The changes come as New Zealand has officially reached the 90 per cent full vaccination coverage milestone among the eligible population, health officials have confirmed.

It is a feat that experts have acknowledged - at the beginning of even the current outbreak - was simply an aspiration.

News also broke overnight that the Counties Manukau District Health Board region has joined the other Auckland DHBs to achieve the 90 per cent full vaccination feat among its communities.

Experts have said that that DHB, in particular, was an important one given the many vulnerable communities it caters to, including Māori and Pasifika.

Meanwhile, more than 2000 protesters have converged in Wellington to protest vaccine mandates and the traffic light system.

Police and the Wellington City Council will be monitoring the large anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown group as it marches through the capital.

A large number of protesters from the Freedom and Rights Coalition gathered in Wellington's Civic Square to march to Parliament to protest the traffic light system, vaccine mandates the Government's plan to vaccinate under-12s from next year.

A witness at the protest said there were easily 2000 people there, with some carrying signs with things like "we do not consent" and "hands-off our freedom".