coronavirus

The Ministry of Health is reporting another drop in the number of Covid-19 cases nationally this week. In the Southern region, there are 1177 new cases of the virus and one death to report.

A golf coach who was “humiliated” after being dismissed for not getting the Covid vaccine will receive more than $15,000 after successfully arguing his dismissal was unjustified.

A total of 21,685 new Covid cases have been reported in the past week, and 53 more people have died with the disease.

Travellers began streaming across land and sea crossings as China opened borders that have been all but shut since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Travellers began streaming across land and sea crossings as China opened borders that have been all but shut since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

State media in China have played down the severity of a surge of Covid-19 infections, while its scientists briefed the WHO, which has been seeking detailed information about the evolution of the virus.

Otago University epidemiologist Michael Baker says NZ should follow Australia and other countries in implementing a requirement for negative Covid-19 predeparture tests for travellers from China.

Testing travellers arriving in NZ from China wouldn't be particularly useful, Michael Baker says, because the main infection risk here is from other Kiwis.

China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine starting from January 8, in a major step towards easing curbs on its borders.

The prime minister has clarified her claim that Kiwis won’t have Covid-19 hanging over them during Christmas following the worst week of infections in the third wave of the Omicron outbreak.