Coronavirus: NZ has 41 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community

New Zealand has 41 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, reports the Ministry of Health.

Of today's new cases 40 are in Auckland, while one is in Waikato.

A total of 20 of these new cases are household or close contacts of existing cases. 

Today a total of 1,247 cases are now reported as having recovered from Covid-19.

That brings the total number of active cases in the community to 648 (the total number of cases in this outbreak is now 1,895).

There are 31 people in hospital, including six patients in intensive care.

Auckland, Northland and parts of Waikato (Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton city, Huntly, Te Kuiti, Waipa, Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu, Karapiro and Cambridge) are currently at alert level 3.

The rest of the country is at alert level 2.

Northland and Waikato are set to move to level 2 at 11.59pm on Monday 18 October.

New Zealand has had 4,580 confirmed cases since the pandemic began last year.