There have been another 23 deaths linked to Covid-19, bringing the nationwide death toll to 378. The seven-day rolling average of deaths is 18.

The deaths reported today include people who have died over the past five days, and were located in Northland, Auckland, Lakes DHB, MidCentral, Wellington, Nelson Marlborough, Canterbury and Southern.

One of the deaths was a person in their 30s, with the rest aged from their 50s to over 90.

Today’s update, delivered by Ministry of Health statement, noted the relatively high number of deaths that are continuing to occur despite the steady decline in case numbers.

“As has occurred with omicron overseas, while Covid-19 cases are usually seen in higher numbers among younger people early in the outbreak, over time the more severe and fatal consequences of the virus fall disproportionately on our older and more vulnerable populations,” the statement read.

“Among the deaths we are reporting today are people with pre-existing conditions and older people living in aged care facilities.”

There are 678 people currently hospitalised with Covid, with 30 of these patients in the ICU.

The Dominion Post has taken the unprecedented step of printing the word “cunt” on its front page in a story about abuse targeted at women in Wellington local government.

While the word is censored in the online version of the article, today’s print version of the paper carries the word in full.

“Anita Baker had never been called a ‘cunt’ before being elected mayor of Porirua nearly three years ago,” the article begins.

The print article was accompanied by a note from Dominion Post editor Anna Fifield, who explained the decision to print the word was made “because we should all be shocked that women elected to public office are on the receiving end” of it.

Read the article here.