Covid-19 update: 1675 new cases, six deaths

Cases of Covid-19 have risen slightly since last week, as health officials declared a whooping cough epidemic.

There have been 1675 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand over the week to Sunday, and six further deaths attributed to the virus.

There were 83 cases in hospital; it is not known how many of those were in intensive care.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases was 239 per day.

The latest figures come as Health NZ director of public health Dr Nicholas Jones said a number of countries were reporting record levels of pertussis (whooping cough), possibly due to lower infection rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As in previous epidemics, Māori and Pacific pēpi would be most affected, he said.

Last week Te Whatu Ora reported 1411 new cases and four further deaths.