There are a record 12,011 new Covid-19 community cases in New Zealand on Friday and five new deaths of people with the virus, the Ministry of Health has announced.
Friday's cases are nearly double the previous record daily cases reported on Thursday, which saw 6137 Covid-19 community cases and one death.
The cases detected by PCR tests are in Northland (46), Auckland (1,565), Waikato (388), Bay of Plenty (279), Lakes (23), Hawke’s Bay (54), MidCentral (112), Whanganui (13), Taranaki (37), Tairāwhiti (34), Wairarapa (10), Capital and Coast (182), Hutt Valley (85), Nelson Marlborough (79), Canterbury (355), South Canterbury (13), Southern (524), West Coast (6); Unknown (1)
The cases detected through RATs are in Northland (87), Auckland (6,403), Waikato (544), Bay of Plenty (338), Lakes (140), Hawke’s Bay (40), MidCentral (41), Whanganui (5), Taranaki (11), Tairāwhiti (18), Wairarapa (4), Capital and Coast (77), Hutt Valley (20), Nelson Marlborough (23), Canterbury (114), South Canterbury (5), Southern (343), West Coast (3); Unknown (7).
Five people with the virus have died, all of whom who were in hospital. Two were cared for in North Shore, two in Waikato and one in Tauranga.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the patients’ family and friends,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
There are 237 people in hospital with the virus, including three in a high dependency or intensive care unit.
There were 19 Covid-19 cases detected at the border.
The ministry said Friday's sharp increase is "not unexpected given the ongoing spread of Omicron and wider testing achieved from the combined use of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) and PCR".
"These case numbers and hospitalisations are another reminder that vaccination is our best defence against the virus.
"There is growing evidence that three doses of Pfizer is protective against Omicron.
"We are strongly encouraging people to get a booster dose if it has been more than three months since their second dose."
There were 30,979 PCR tests administered in the last 24 hours, while the rolling average for PCR tests over the past seven days is at 28,795. The PCR testing positivity rate over the last 24 hours is now 27.4 per cent.
There were 25,461 booster doses administered on Thursday. Around 68.8 per cent of the eligible population have now received a booster dose.
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