Daily Covid cases back over 4000

The number of daily Covid-19 cases has risen above 4000 for the first time in three months.

Ministry of Health data shows there were 4282 daily cases reported yesterday – the highest single day since August 17, when there were 4622 cases reported.

Covid-19 cases have stabilised in recent days, after a ‘‘bump’’ since early October which experts linked to removing restrictions.

The Ministry of Health’s latest Trends and Insights report said it was likely that over the new few weeks, cases, hospitalisations and mortality ‘‘will continue to increase to a new peak of the third wave’’. The size, timing and duration of the peak was uncertain.

A fifth of cases reported on Monday were reinfections, up from 10-11% three months ago.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said it was important to not put too much weight on numbers on a single day.

But the rolling weekly average was rising again, he said.

A combination of loosening public health controls and waning immunity (from both vaccination and prior infection) were likely contributing to this, as opposed to a ‘‘dramatic’’ shift driven by a new variant.