[Source: RNZ]

There are 215 new community cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

In a statement, it also said a person has died from COVID-19 in Auckland City Hospital. The patient was in their 50s and was admitted to hospital on 17 November.

It also said there are 88 people in hospital including six in ICU.

Of the new cases today, 196 were in Auckland, 11 in Waikato, four in Northland, one in Bay of Plenty, two in Lakes and one in MidCentral that was announced yesterday.

All four cases announced in Northland today are linked to existing cases. One case is in Whangārei and three are in Kaikohe.

A case in Whangārei Hospital has been discharged.

In Waikato, six of the 11 cases today are still to be linked to existing cases. Six cases are in Huntly, three from Kawhia, one from Te Kuiti and one from Ōtorohanga.

In Tauranga, one close contact, of a COVID positive person who visited a Tauranga retirement village, has returned an initial negative test.

Three cases are at the border, including one historical case.

The number of active cases being managed is 6450.

And as at 10am this morning, there are 153 locations of interest.