Ministry of Health Deputy Director-General Dr Andrew Old and other health officials are holding a media briefing in Auckland to provide an update on the Covid-19 response.
Cases and hospitalisations are at the “lowest levels we’ve seen since February this year,” Dr Old said, revealing there were 1793 new community cases of Covid-19 today.
The latest evidence shows “real and sustained evidence of Covid-19 declining in our community.”
The seven-day rolling average of cases continues to drop, down 27 percent from a week ago, and hospitalisations are down 29 percent.
The number of deaths for people with Covid-19 was also declining, Old said.
“Although those trends are really encouraging it’s important to remember that every death related to Covid-19 is heartbreaking,” Old said.
Te Whatu Ora interim national medical director Dr Pete Watson said there were “some encouraging signs”.
Hospital bed numbers due to Covid-19 were declining, and said influenza had been dropping rapidly from a winter outbreak, he said.
However, Watson said general practices continued to be busy.
Pressures were now being addressed by focusing more on hospital flow, he said. “We anticipate that as we progress through September and October improvements will continue.
“While we do expect a continued long tail of Covid cases it’s very very encouraging to see the recent decline.”
Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority interim chief medical officer Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen noted the importance of Māori providers and health care in the community.
“It’s really good to see the decline in numbers of Covid-19 cases.
“It’s really important in terms of Māori” due to higher rates in the community, he said.
Other immunisations such as measles, mumps and rubella were down but must improve, he said.
Variants
Dr Old said the seven-day rolling average of cases was tracking closely to the modelling.
The most common variant was the BA.5, he said.
“We’re not expecting any significant rises in the coming weeks.”
Longer term there would be fluctuations with community immunity wavering and possible new variants, he said.
“We haven’t seen the last of it, and we do need to be vigilant.
“Right now, we are clearly moving into a new stage of the pandemic.
“But we are not out of the woods yet. Although the weather outside today is fine and we’re definitely coming out of the worst of the winter, Covid-19 is definitely not a seasonal disease.”
Vaccinations
There were newer vaccines, but none of those had been applied for in New Zealand yet, Dr Old said. “We’re obviously watching that very closely.”
There were no plans for third or subsequent boosters in New Zealand, but plans were constantly under review, he said.
The second booster is only available to certain groups but the government is looking at whether it should be opened up for everyone.
Dr Old said the benefit for the older and immunocompromised for a second booster was clear, but the ministry was still looking at how it might benefit the entire population.
Modelling showed a slowly declining long tail through summer for Covid-19, but new variants could change the game, Old said.
“Right at the moment there’s too many variables to give a clear picture.”
On possible ending of mask wearing and changes to restrictions, Old said: “Masks work”, and they were “still part of our response”.
Cases have continued to drop over the past week and the government is considering making changes to mask mandates and the traffic light setting.
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