Covid-19: Case numbers fall slightly, 36 more deaths

There have been 14,371 new Covid-19 infections reported in New Zealand over the past week.

The numbers cover Monday, May 22 to Sunday, May 28. They have fallen slightly from the week before by nearly 300 cases.

As at midnight Sunday there were 248 people in hospital with the virus.

Eight people were in an intensive care unit as at midnight Sunday.

Thirty-six more people with the virus have died.

Two were in their 60s, six were in their 70s, 16 were in their 80s and 12 were aged over 90.

Nineteen were men and 17 were women.

Of the 36 deaths reported, seven were from the Auckland region, six were from the Southern District, five were from Canterbury, three each were from Waikato and the MidCentral District, two each were from Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Whanganui and the Wellington region, and one each were from the Lakes District, Taranaki, Nelson Marlborough and South Canterbury.

The total number of deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor, is 2942.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker said "it's very hard to track the epidemiology of the virus now because we're relying on people testing and reporting their results".

He estimates current Covid-19 cases could be double the number reported.

"There will be people who get the infection — they have mild symptoms or they choose to ignore them or not get tested, which I can understand for some people…I mean we just do not have a figure for this."