New Zealand entering ninth wave of Covid, precautions urged as winter illnesses approach

Wednesday, 4 March 2026

New Zealand is heading into its ninth wave of Covid-19, with data showing 50 hospitalisations and 19 deaths reported in the past week, according to public health expert Michael Baker.

Health NZ Te Whatu Ora data shows 94 cases were reported in Canterbury in the past 30 days, with 23 in the past seven. Six people had been admitted to hospital in the past 30 days, with two in the past seven. A total of 11 people in Canterbury had died with Covid attributed as the cause in the past 30 days - two in the last week.

Baker said the virus had settled into a pattern of two waves per year, though Covid-19 had not developed the seasonal pattern typical of other respiratory viruses like influenza and RSV, which peak during winter months.

Instead, waves have occurred somewhat randomly, with slightly more appearing during the warmer half of the year rather than winter, he said.

Covid-19 showed no seasonal pattern in New Zealand. Baker said the current wave appears similar in size to the two waves seen last year.

Baker monitors both hospitalisation numbers and wastewater testing to track the virus's spread, as self-reported cases had become fewer since testing kits were no longer free.

The latest data from Health New Zealand showed 322 cases, 50 hospitalisations and 19 deaths in the past week.

Baker recommended three key preventive measures as case numbers rise: getting booster shots every six months, testing and self-isolating when sick, and wearing respirator-style masks in crowded places like buses and trains.

“Everyone benefits from getting a booster every six months because the protection from the vaccine wanes,” he said.

“The evidence internationally is that’s still very protective against infection, hospitalisation and death.”

Covid-19 was New Zealand's biggest infectious disease killer alongside influenza.

Baker said the virus likely caused more harm than influenza when factoring in long Covid cases.

“Hundreds of people will be getting infected every week and risking long Covid,” he said. “Based on international evidence, it's quite correct to assume that scores of people will be getting quite severely impaired every week from this infection.”

New Zealand currently had no surveillance system for long Covid. Almost every New Zealander had been exposed to the virus or received vaccines, providing some level of immunity, though Baker emphasises this protection is relative.

“There are still almost 20 people a week dying from this infection. So that's going to translate into a thousand people a year dying from this infection.”

Wastewater testing covered about 60% to 70% of New Zealand's population and provided reliable trend data which did not depend on people testing and self-reporting cases.

Baker said the current wave had not peaked yet and hospitalisations could continue rising for a couple of months before declining again.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said there were 184 hospitalisations in the past week, according to data provided by public health expert Michael Baker. In fact, there were 50. The 184 figure was for the previous 30 days, not seven.