Covid-19 update: 917 new cases, five more deaths

Photo: 123rf.com / Composite Image – RNZ

Covid-19 cases have increased over the past week as XEC emerges as a new variant of the virus.

There were 917 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand during the week to Sunday, and a further five deaths attributed to the virus.

There have been 124 hospitalized cases, although none are in intensive care.

The new XEC variant of Covid-19 was first detected in Germany in August and appears to have a growth advantage over other circulating variants – but it is not a radically different variant.

XEC is known as a “recombinant variant”. Recombinants can occur naturally when a person is simultaneously infected with two different Covid variants.

Last week, Health NZ reported 886 new cases and six more deaths.