Coronavirus: NZ has 55 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community

New Zealand has 55 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, says Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.

Of today's new cases 53 are in Auckland, while two are in Waikato - taking the total number of active cases in Waikato to 37.

A total of 29 of these new cases are household or close contacts of existing cases. 

Today a total of 1,190 cases are now reported as having recovered from Covid-19.

That brings the total number of active cases in the community to 529 (the total number of cases in this outbreak is now 1,719).

There are 32 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 will now move to level 2 at 11.59pm on Monday 18 October.

New Zealand has had 4,400 confirmed cases since the pandemic began last year.