There are 9318 new community cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand on Friday, the Ministry of Health has revealed.
It comes after the Ministry had a computer glitch resulting in Friday's case numbers being incorrectly reported earlier.
Another 23 COVID-19 deaths were reported, taking New Zealand's virus death toll to 1651.
The Health Ministry said 587 people remained in hospital with the virus, nine of whom were in intensive care.
The Ministry of Health has provided advice on how to keep your children well over the school holidays.
"As every parent well knows, winter means cold weather but also more days indoors where our tamariki can more easily pick up and pass on germs, colds and flu," the health ministry said in a statement.
"It’s normal for children to have 8-10 viral illnesses each year, which will likely include coughs, runny noses and intermittent fevers. But with so many respiratory illnesses circulating, the Ministry is encouraging New Zealanders to pay extra attention to their children’s health, and their own, over the coldest months of the year."
Overall, New Zealand has reported just over 1.4 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
Here is the full Ministry of Health COVID-19 update for Friday, July 8:
Today we are reporting 9318 community cases and 587 current hospitalisations.
We are sadly reporting the deaths of 23 people with COVID-19. The majority (18) of these deaths occurred in the current month; four others occurred in May and June. There is one death from January last year now being reported following the cause of death assessment now being completed. In some instances it can take some time for the full clinical assessments to be finalised.
We are continuing to keep our response to the current community outbreak of COVID-19 under review and will adapt it as the outbreak and pandemic evolve, and as part of our resurgence planning.
Keeping tamariki well over the school break
As every parent well knows, winter means cold weather but also more days indoors where our tamariki can more easily pick up and pass on germs, colds and flu.
It’s normal for children to have 8-10 viral illnesses each year, which will likely include coughs, runny noses and intermittent fevers. But with so many respiratory illnesses circulating, the Ministry is encouraging New Zealanders to pay extra attention to their children’s health, and their own, over the coldest months of the year.
Here are some winter wellness tips to help keep children healthy:
- When they’re unwell, keep them at home to give them the best chance to rest and recover, and reduce the spread of infections on to others.
- If children have COVID-19 symptoms like a fever, cough, sore throat and headache – rapid antigen test them.
- Encourage good hygiene - help them to wash their hands regularly and show them how to sneeze or cough into their elbow or a tissue. This will help stop the spread of germs.
- A sick child who is still eating and drinking well, can be watched at home until they’re feeling better.
- To help avoid serious illness, ensure children are up to date with their vaccinations like measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); flu; chicken pox; whooping cough; and for over 5-year-olds, their COVID-19 vaccine.
- Ventilate your home by opening windows and doors throughout the day to increase fresh air flow.
- Provide children with healthy food and fresh water to help maintain good health and wellbeing.
- Encourage them to be active, especially outside, to help maintain good health and wellbeing.
- Encourage your children to wear a mask if they are old enough.
- Finally, support children to get enough sleep.
Following these tips not just for children but for all of us can help us all fight off seasonal illnesses and get through the next few months in good shape. Stay well this winter, Aotearoa!
- View a video of these tips on the Ministry’s Facebook page
- Guidance if you or someone you know tests positive or becomes a household contact
- Information on mask use at Orange
COVID-19 hospitalisations
- COVID-19 Cases in hospital: total number 587*: Northland: 13; Waitematā: 128; Counties Manukau: 38; Auckland: 35; Waikato: 57; Bay of Plenty: 32; Lakes: 14; Hawke’s Bay: 20; MidCentral: 18; Whanganui: 6; Taranaki: 11; Tairawhiti: 2; Wairarapa: 4; Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley: 60; Nelson Marlborough: 13; Canterbury and West Coast: 90; South Canterbury: 15; Southern: 31.
- Weekly COVID-19 Hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 499 (This time last week 377)
- Average age of current COVID-19 hospitalisations: 66
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 9
- Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital**: Unvaccinated or not eligible (39 cases); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (no cases); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (57 cases); received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (307 cases).
*Overall hospitalisation numbers are elevated by a sustained high number of hospitalisations in Waitematā which makes up 22% of the total number reported today.
**These are new hospital admissions in the past 7 days prior to yesterday who had COVID at the time of admission or while in hospital, excluding hospitalisations that were admitted and discharged within 24hrs. This data is from Districts with tertiary hospitals: Auckland, Canterbury, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital & Coast, Waitemata and Northland.
COVID-19 vaccinations administered
- Vaccines administered to date: 4,028,700 first doses; 3,981,241 second doses; 33,291 third primary doses; 2,686,244 first booster doses: 70,777 second booster doses: 264,549 paediatric first doses and 136,044 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 32 first doses; 49 second doses; 39 third primary doses; 877 first booster doses; 11,160 second booster doses; 39 paediatric first doses and 261 paediatric second doses
More detailed information, including vaccine uptake by District, is available on the Ministry website.
Tests
- Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 3,506
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 16,101
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,185
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last seven days as of 7 July 2022): 2.5 million
COVID-19 cases
- Total number of new community cases: 9318
- Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 275
- Number of active cases (total): 58,170 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 1,400,093
- Location of new community cases by district over past 24 hours
Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a District or local public health service level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.
COVID-19 deaths
Today’s reported deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 1,651 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 16.
Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today: seven were from Auckland region, one each from Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Tairawhiti, Whanganui and MidCentral, two were from the Wellington region, four were from Canterbury / West Coast, and two from Southern.
One was in their sixties; three were in their seventies, 13 were in their 80s, and six were aged over 90. Of these people, nine were women and 14 were men.
This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment on these.
