Covid 19

As China emerges from its Covid-zero cocoon, the country is experiencing an unprecedented surge in cases that's fuelling global concern over new variants.

There are mixed feelings as people head back to work today after many Kiwis had Covid-19 for Christmas.

China is marking its first Lunar New Year since 2020 without Covid-19 domestic travel restrictions and more than 2 billion people are expected to travel over the next 40 days.

Only one in five people who reported an infection in December were known to have had Covid-19 previously, according to the ACT government.

China's Covid-19 data is not giving an accurate picture of the situation there and underrepresents the number of hospitalisations and deaths from the disease, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

Health experts are backing the government's decision not to impose pre-departure Covid-19 testing on travellers from China - saying it would be a case of "xenophobia".

A new variant is surging in the US, with the Centers for Disease Control projecting it accounted for about 40 percent of US Covid cases in the last week of December.

New Zealand will not require travellers from China to be tested for Covid-19, the government has announced.

The Ministry of Health is reporting the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths of people with the virus are falling, while the number in hospital remains steady.

The Chinese government has suggested that travel restrictions imposed on Chinese arrivals are politically motivated - with New Zealand yet to decide whether it will require mandatory Covid-19 testing… Audio

New Zealand health officials reportedly agreed with Australian counterparts that introducing mandatory Covid-19 testing for travellers from China was an overreaction.

Australia's chief medical officer explicitly advised the Albanese government not to introduce mandatory Covid-19 testing on travellers from China a day before the measure was announced.

The Ministry of Health said it received 1863 reports of positive cases on Sunday.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker says New Zealand should follow Australia and other countries in implementing a requirement for negative Covid-19 predeparture tests for travellers from China.

The government has identified individuals and groups in line to receive a special honour for their role in fighting Covid-19.

RSV, the flu, Covid-19 and strep throat infections are surging in the northern hemisphere and in six months' time these will probably be here too, says Professor Amanda Kvalsvig.

Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China as Covid-19 cases in the country surge.

Medical experts believe an international increase in measles cases will soon reach New Zealand.

Health officials say the lack of data they're getting from China is concerning.