New Zealand logs 34,528 new COVID-19 community cases over past week

WELLINGTON, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand recorded 34,528 new community cases of COVID-19 and 40 more deaths from the pandemic over the past week, the country's Ministry of Health said on Monday.

On average, new cases per day reached 4,926 in the last week. The country has seen the number of daily cases going down steadily from over 10,000 cases nationwide in early July.

With the fresh cases, New Zealand has reported 1,979,614 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2,235 COVID-19-related deaths since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, the ministry said.

Currently, 418 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals in the country, including 10 in intensive care units or high dependency units, showed official data.