There are a record 1573 new community cases in New Zealand today - 1140 of them in Auckland, the Ministry of Health says. 

Sixty three people are in hospital with the virus - none in intensive care. They are in hospitals in Auckland, Rotorua, Tauranga, Waikato, Wellington and Tairāwhiti. 

The average age of hospital patients with Covid-19 is 62. 

Today's community cases are in Auckland (1140), Northland (31), Waikato (143), Bay of Plenty (29), Lakes (35), Hawke's Bay (2), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (11), Taranaki (8), Tairāwhiti (8), Wairarapa (30), Capital and Coast (20), Hutt Valley (22), Nelson Marlborough (49), Canterbury (7), and the Southern region (35). 

Fifteen cases have also been detected at the border. 

The seven day rolling average for border cases is now 17, while the seven day rolling average for community cases is 844. 

"Every dose counts and lowers the chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised, so if it's been three months since your last dose, please book your booster today," the ministry said. 

"Since January 22, when the first Omicron case was detected in the community, double vaccinated cases are 10 times less likely to require hospitalisation than unvaccinated cases – 4 per cent of unvaccinated cases have required hospitalisation and 0.4 per cent of fully vaccinated cases have required hospitalisation." 

Focus on outbreak, not protest - PM 

The country's surging Covid cases are the priority for the Government - not the "illegal" actions of protesters at Parliament, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters in Rotorua earlier today. 

"What is happening there is illegal," she said of the protesters. 

"I don't expect it to change quickly, we're all prepared for it to take some time but despite that it will not change our force. 

"We have a duty to all New Zealanders to focus on the pandemic." 

While the act of protest was not illegal in New Zealand, building camps on Parliament grounds, obstructing children from going to school, blocking roads and harassing people who were wearing masks was behaviour "that is not acceptable", she said. 

Ardern is in Rotorua today to take part in several events, including launching a conservation and restoration project near the city. 

There is anticipation that the country will see yet another record day of Covid cases after the tally broke through the 1000 mark yesterday. 

Today's case numbers will be revealed in a statement at 1pm by the Ministry of Health. 

Latest locations of interest 

A party on Castle St near Otago University and the AJ Hackett Bridge Bungy and Bridge Climb in Auckland are among the latest high-risk locations of interests. 

A Queenstown tex-mex restaurant and a club as well an Auckland crossfit event have also been added to the growing list as high-risk. 

Test positivity rate up 

A Herald analysis has shown New Zealand's positivity rate has moved closer to a World Health Organisation benchmark suggesting widespread outbreak. 

Using the latest available case numbers and tests processed, Herald analysis shows the country registered a 4.2 per cent positivity rate on Tuesday, near the 5 per cent threshold set by the WHO at the start of the pandemic. 

The rate, according to one expert, is now far higher than at the peak of the Delta outbreak but is still much lower than reported in other countries and regions at the peak of their outbreaks. 

Test positivity is the percentage of positive tests amongst total tests taken. 

Yesterday there were 1160 new cases in the community, 861 of these were in Auckland, and 43 Covid-19 cases were detected at the border. 

There were 56 people in hospital with the virus and none were in ICU or HDU. 

Mobile vax drive on hold 

Following the surge of cases in Auckland, Te Whānau O Waipareira trust has had to put its mobile vaccination efforts in Northland on hold. 

A team of 70 were due to head north this weekend. 

Vaccination rates in Northland are at 87.4 per for two doses. 

Outbreaks at Starship, school 

Meanwhile, there has been an outbreak of Covid-19 at Starship children's hospital, with 12 positive cases confirmed so far. 

The hospital told the Herald today that six staff and six patients had tested positive. The outbreak likely stemmed from a positive case in the general paediatrics ward last week. 

The virus also continues to spread throughout schools. Wakatipu High School reported 43 students and staff were isolating after one case was detected at the school.