Covid-19 update: 22,152 new community cases, 405 people in hospital

There have been 22,152 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with 405 people in hospital, including 10 in intensive care.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has been giving a daily briefing this afternoon.

Police this morning moved in on the occupation at Parliament, which has been trespassing there for more than three weeks. Officers clashed with protesters and made more than 60 arrests, and protesters' vehicles were towed away including campervans and trucks.

Data modeller Michael Plank this morning said hospitalisations from Covid-19 were expected to top 800 within a week, if numbers kept rising at the rate they have.

Community case numbers yesterday [ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/462513/covid-19-update-nearly-20-000-community-cases-373-in-hospital-9-in-icu neared the 20,000 mark, with 373 people in hospital and nine in ICU.

Director-General of Health Dr Bloomfield also made an apology over delays to people receiving PCR test results in the past week, with a backlog from last Wednesday only beginning to clear in the past couple of days.

Opposition parties criticised Bloomfield, saying he misled the public over testing capacity, and the ACT Party calling for him to be removed.

- more to come

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/462583/covid-19-update-22-152-new-community-cases-405-people-in-hospital