New Zealand

In a statement the Ministry of Health (MOH) said Counties Manukau Health reported the death of a man in his 40s at Middlemore Hospital.

“No further information will be released until conversations with the man’s family have concluded. Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends at this deeply sad time.”

Of the new cases, 175 were in Auckland, 20 in Waikato, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Taupō and four in Northland.

In a statement, the Ministry said today's official cases included 142 in Auckland, 17 in Waikato, five in Northland, and one each in the Bay of Plenty, Lakes, and Canterbury DHB areas.

The Ministry said the continued spread of the coronavirus to regions throughout New Zealand was a "reminder that everyone needs to heed the advice that will help keep our communities as safe as possible".

New Zealand made 164 for six in Jaipur, which India reached with two balls to spare.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to field first and had immediate success with Daryl Mitchell dismissed for a golden duck.

However Martin Guptil scored 70 and Mark Chapman 63 as they put on 109 for the second wicket.

"We were probably ten runs short at the end, we didn't quite get there in the end but that can happen in cricket and the way we pulled it back with the ball was a fantastic effort," said Guptil.

Mitchell Marsh plundered a ferocious 77 not out from 50 balls as Australia overhauled what appeared to be a challenging 173 with seven deliveries to spare in Dubai.

The all-rounder shared a dominant stand of 92 with opener David Warner and continued to attack after the opener was bowled for 53 from 38 balls.

Marsh was dropped on 68 but at that stage only 15 runs were needed from 19 balls, the highest chase in a Men's T20 World Cup final a near certainty.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there are 84 people in hospital, including 10 in intensive care.

There were no new cases at the border.

The ministry said 81 of today's cases are yet to be linked. There are 713 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

The 25 new cases in Waikato include 15 who are known close contacts from a single household in Hamilton, where an earlier case had been confirmed and is already in isolation.

Eighteen of the 25 new cases have been linked.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said 78 of today's cases are yet to be linked, and there are 645 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

It said 109 of today's cases were in Auckland, with three in Waikato and one in Northland.

There are 74 people in hospital, including five in intensive care. All are in Auckland and the average age is 51.

Today's figures are almost half the record 206 cases recorded yesterday.

There was also one new case detected at the border.

One-way travel with low-risk Pacific countries resumes on November 8 from the three islands and Tokelau, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced last week.

Travellers from those nations will be able to bypass spending 14 days at a managed isolation and quarantine facility.

All travellers, New Zealand citizens, and NZ resident or visa critical purpose visa holders, would need to have stayed 14 days in their countries before departure and aren’t required to provide a pre-departure test.

They must be fully vaccinated, unless they are New Zealand citizens.

Donna and Colin Craig-Brown of Ngāhinapōuri have named their 7.9-kilogram potato 'Doug'.

The Craig-Browns had no intention of growing a large potato, Colin tells Jesse Mulligan. Doug was just "one of nature's pleasant surprises".

"I had no idea he was growing there and I don't know how long he was there because I was walking over top of him all last cucumber season.

"It's just one of life's happy little moments, you know? Mother Nature has just bestowed this glory upon us."

The person arrived two weeks ago, and tested positive for the virus once in New Zealand.

They are staying in managed isolation in Auckland.

The tiny island nation has not had any previously reported cases of Covid-19.

About 14,000 people live across the Tuvalu archipelago, and UN data shows that 12,114 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered there.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health said this case was one of three new incoming border cases that were reported yesterday.

Another 126 community cases were also reported in New Zealand yesterday.

The change will see travellers from those countries and Tokelau who have the right to reside permanently in New Zealand and people covered by border exceptions, from 8 November.

“Travellers must be fully vaccinated, unless they are New Zealand citizens. RSE workers are currently required to have at least one dose, and will be required to be fully vaccinated from 1 January 2022,” said Covid-19 response Minister Chris Hipkins today.