Southern region to end Covid updates

THE twiceweekly updates of Covid19 cases in Otago and Southland are to end because of the declining impact of the Omicron wave in the region.

However, the final Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Southern (HNZS) update release contained a reminder the disease was far from finished with the South, an increase in active case numbers in QueenstownLakes, from 248 on Friday to 273 yesterday.

In all other regions monitored by HNZS case numbers fell.

Dunedin dropped from 714 to 567, Invercargill from 280 to 211, and Clutha from 101 to 71, and there were small falls in cases in other areas.

There were 216 new cases of Covid reported in the South yesterday: the same day a week ago there were 329.

The rolling seven day average of cases in HNZS was 208. Seven days earlier it was 271.

HNZS will continue to provide a weekly case update on Wednesdays, and would reinstate more regular updates if the Covid situation changed, a spokeswoman said.

Testing locations remain open, and support services for anyone with Covid19 who needs help remain on standby.

Nationally, the Ministry of Health reported 3693 new community cases yesterday and 402 hospitalisations.

The national rolling seven day average of cases was 3496 (4073 a week ago) and the rolling average of hospitalisations was 453, down from 556 seven says ago.

The ministry reported 35 new deaths of people who had Covid19, one of whom was from southern.

‘‘There are now a total of 1824 deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor,’’ a spokeswoman said.

‘‘The sevenday rolling average increase in total deaths attributable to Covid19 is now 10.’’

There have been 157 deaths in southern attributed to Covid19.