There are 9,563 new communicant cases of Covid-19 and a further 16 virus-related deaths. 

There are 528 people in hospital, including 28 cases in intensive care. 

This comes as the Government announced yesterday that the country would move to the orange traffic light setting from today. 

These deaths all occurred over the past 13 days, including 12 in the past two days. 

The deaths reported today take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 547. 

The seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13. 

Two of these people were aged in their 60s, six in their 70s, four in their 80s, and four over 90. 

Five were from the Auckland region, four from Waikato, two from Bay of Plenty, one from Lakes DHB area, one from MidCentral, one from Whanganui and two people were from Canterbury. 

"This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts are with them. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment," the ministry said in a statement. 

Today's community cases are in: Northland (476), Auckland (1,903), Waikato (744), Bay of Plenty (410), Lakes (185), Hawke's Bay (357), MidCentral (415), Whanganui (202), Taranaki (314), Tairāwhiti (78), Wairarapa (107), Capital and Coast (650), Hutt Valley (382) Nelson Marlborough (329), Canterbury (1,617), South Canterbury (199), Southern (1,089) and the West Coast (103). 

The location of three cases is unknown. 

The seven-day rolling average of case numbers has again declined. Today's seven-day rolling average is 8990 while last Thursday it was 11,791. (edited) 

Reported community case numbers were expected to continue to fluctuate day to day, the ministry said, but the overall trend remained was a reduction in reported cases. 

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said yesterday positive signs - including a fall in new case numbers - meant it was time to relax restrictions and depart from the red setting. 

"We are over the peak, we are coming down the other side; in some places we're coming well down". 

Under the new setting the 200 people cap for indoor hospitality venues, events and gatherings has been canned. 

Face masks are also not required to be worn in as many places anymore including in bars, restaurants and even schools. 

However, they must still be worn when visiting shops, which has left retailers fuming. 

Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said a lack of progress on them was infuriating. 

"While it is good news that the country is moving to orange, it is absurd that the Government is removing mask requirements in the hospitality and education sectors, but keeping them for retail," he said. 

Hipkins has defended the new mask-wearing rules. 

He told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that mask rules remained in supermarkets and other shops because it was likely elderly and immunocompromised people had to visit these places. The rules were now removed for nightclubs and bars because people had a choice to attend those places. 

"Masks are required where you have to go, so you have to go to the supermarket. If you're going out to a nightclub, it's a choice to go there and you're taking on a higher degree of risk." 

Meanwhile, the move to orange means Air New Zealand passengers no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test to fly domestically. 

Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran said it was a move in the right direction to make travelling easier for people. 

"I'm seeing encouraging signs with bookings so I'm pretty excited about what we're seeing from the Government."