There have been 22,527 new community cases of Covid-19 reported today, slightly down on yesterday's numbers, the Ministry of Health says.

Eleven of the 562 cases currently in hospital are in intensive care.

There have also been five new deaths of people with Covid-19 reported in New Zealand.

The five who died all had unrelated medical conditions but tested positive for the coronavirus. They include patients in Tauranga, Waikato and Middlemore Hospitalsm and a person in Dunedin who was recieving palliative care.

Some of these deaths are only being announced today as they have only recently been notified in the Ministry's national reporting systems.

Yesterday the Ministry reported 23,183 new community cases, with 503 people in hospital, including seven who needed intensive care.

There were also eight cases in managed isolation.

New Zealand has now had 187,964 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

There were 15,195 vaccine booster doses given yesterday, along with 315 first doses; 743 second doses; 99 third primary doses; 1150 paediatric first doses and 223 paediatric second doses.

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 16,163
• Number of new community cases: 22,527
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 3,748
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 18,779
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (515), Auckland (13,252), Waikato (1,674), Bay of Plenty (1,248), Lakes (464), Hawke’s Bay (325), MidCentral (364), Whanganui (79), Taranaki (257), Tairāwhiti (155), Wairarapa (69), Capital and Coast (1,356), Hutt Valley (577), Nelson Marlborough (304), Canterbury (1,163), South Canterbury (63), Southern (632), West Coast (16); Unknown (14)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 8 (1 confirmed, 7 probable)
• Number of active community cases (total):  152,358 (cases identified in the past10 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 187,964

Masses at home sick as Omicron numbers grow

Figures from Covid Modelling Aotearoa show actual infections in the community could be about many times the number of reported cases, with up to half a million, or one in ten New Zealanders infected.

An Auckland emergency medicine doctor says staff shortages are close to the worse she's ever seen.

College of Emergency Medicine New Zealand faculty chair Kate Allan works in an Auckland hospital and said they were facing "incredibly significant" staff shortages every day as existing shortages were being made worse by staff away with Covid-19 or caring for family members.

Hamilton City Council says they have moved to reduced services as staff are away due to Covid-19. General community manager Helen Paki said the council had planned for staff shortages but not to this extent.

Auckland poultry processors are reporting almost half their staff are off sick at some plants.

About 900 New Zealanders from around the world are expected to touch down at Auckland Airport tomorrow - the first in two years to arrive without having to undergo isolation.