Covid-19: 71 new cases announced, NZ has now 868 infected, 103 recovered

The number of new Covid-19 cases has dropped from yesterday's high, but the number of clusters throughout the country has risen to 10, the Health Ministry has confirmed.

Government officials are giving the latest update on New Zealand's Covid-19 response.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there were 71 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total to 868.

71 announced today includes 49 confirmed and 22 probable cases. 

Watch the media conference here:

Yesterday, New Zealand recorded its biggest increase in Covid-19 infections in one day as the Health Ministry confirmed 89 new cases.

Dr Bloomfield said 103 people had now recovered from the coronavirus. Thirteen people are now in a stable condition in hospital. One is in ICU in a stable condition.

The number of clusters has risen to 10. Dr Bloomfield said the biggest clusters are in Marist School, with 59 cases; Bluff, with 53; and Matamata, with 49 people.

There have been no further deaths, and 1 per cent of cases are being treated as community transmission.

Dr Bloomfield said there are 135 people in quarantine after arriving in the country with symptoms. 

There have been 291,486 tests in total carried out, with a high of 3446 tests carried out yesterday.

"We now have the capacity to do over 5400 tests each day in New Zealand."

Global Covid-19 cases now exceed 1 million. 

Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management Sarah Stuart-Black is also speaking at today's conference.