Photo: 123rf.com / Composite Image - RNZ
There were 14,657 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Aotearoa in the week to midnight on Sunday, and a further 43 deaths attributed to the virus.
The total number of deaths from the disease is now 2893.
In addition, there were 247 cases in hospital at midnight Sunday, with eight in intensive care.
The seven-day rolling average of cases was 1891.
Last week 11,739 new cases were reported and a further 58 deaths attributed to the virus.
In last week's Budget 2023 announcement, $20 million was allocated to lift Covid-19 immunisation and screening coverage for Māori and Pacific people.
Meanwhile, Tokelau has confirmed its first community case of Covid-19 and a lockdown has been imposed.
A spokesperson for the government confirmed to RNZ Pacific the small nation of three atolls announced the first-ever case on Sunday.
Up until now Tokelau, which is a dependency of New Zealand, was the last remaining country along with Turkmenistan to not have experienced community cases.
The case is located on Nukunonu, the largest atoll in Tokelau and does not know how they caught the virus.
Work was underway to establish how the virus entered the community.
In January, Tokelau experienced its first cases of the virus at the border.
All five people who tested positive then tested negative and were able to join the community and attend a wedding.
