New Zealand reports 14,633 new community cases, 344 in hospital, five in ICU

As New Zealand marks two years of living with Covid-19, there are 14,633 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, the Ministry of Health reports.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there are also 344 cases in hospital and five in ICU.

The cases in hospital are in Northland (5), North Shore (53), Middlemore (128), Auckland (100), Tauranga (11), Taranaki (1), Waikato (28), Canterbury (4) Southern (4), Hutt Valley (6)Capital and Coast (3) and Tairawhiti (1).

The new community cases today are in Northland (208), Auckland (9,305), Waikato (1,530), Bay of Plenty (762), Lakes (265), Hawke's Bay (138), MidCentral (175), Whanganui (30), Taranaki (67), Tairāwhiti (60), Wairarapa (52), Capital and Coast (604), Hutt Valley (281), Nelson Marlborough (178), Canterbury (573), South Canterbury (24), Southern (372), West Coast (3); Unknown (6).

There are also 23 new cases at the border.

Two years ago today, the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in New Zealand, in a recent returnee.

A record 14,941 new community cases were reported yesterday.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker said the outbreak will peak over the next month before declining and warned the total number of people with Covid-19 is likely much higher than the number of people that get tested.

Meanwhile, the shift from MIQ to home isolation for vaccinated New Zealanders travelling from Australia began today.

Cabinet will discuss and make decisions about the https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/462411/prime-minister-jacinda-arder... future of border restrictions later today], Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Morning Report.