Coronavirus: NZ has 60 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community

New Zealand has 60 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, reports the Ministry of Health.

Of today's new cases 56 are in Auckland, while one is in Bay of Plenty and three are in Waikato - taking the total number of active cases in Waikato to 31.

The Bay of Plenty case, which was reported publicly yesterday, is included in today's figures due to the time of reporting.

A total of 41 of these new cases are household or close contacts of existing cases. 

Today a total of 1,164 cases are now reported as having recovered from Covid-19.

That brings the total number of active cases in the community to 423 (the total number of cases in this outbreak is now 1,587).

There are 29 people in hospital, including seven 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.

On Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed an Auckland road map that effectively showed how the city would come out of a strict alert level 3 as we know it, starting with slightly relaxed restrictions this week.

The rest of the country is at alert level 2.

New Zealand has had 4,265 confirmed cases since the pandemic began last year.