There have been 554 cases of Covid-19 reported in the Southern region in the past week, according to Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora figures.

There have also been five deaths of people with Covid-19 reported in the Southern region.

There have been 8,040 cases reported across the country in the past week, 4,992 of them reinfections.

There are 324 people in hospital with Covid-19 in New Zealand, six of them in ICU.

In the past week, 38 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 28 days have died.

“As Covid-19 continues to circulate in the community, everyone still needs to take precautions… to protect themselves and others,” a Te Whatu Ora spokesperson told the Wānaka App.

Te Whatu Ora has advised people to do the following: 

• get an additional Covid-19 booster if you are eligible and at high-risk,
• stay away from vulnerable friends and family if you are unwell,
• wear a face mask in closed, crowded, or confined spaces, and
• stay home if you feel sick, and test for Covid-19. 

The total number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 in New Zealand since the pandemic began is 3,645. More than 340 people in Southern have died from Covid-19.

Find more information about the Covid-19 vaccinations and check your eligibility here. Free RATs remain available for pick up from participating RAT collection centres until February 29, 2024

If you live rurally, have a disability, are immunocompromised or experience challenges collecting RATs yourself, you can call 0800 222 478 to check if you are eligible for a RAT delivery service. 

PHOTO: Supplied