New Zealand faces new Covid wave as experts say moving on from pandemic is ‘wishful thinking’

Signs that Omicron surge is becoming more intense', with cases rising steadily and more people in hospital than at any time since April

New Zealand is on the brink of another Omicron wave, experts warn, with average cases rising as immunity wanes, more infectious variants arrive, and winter sets in.

Public health experts, however, are concerned that the public and government are primarily focused on moving on" from the virus, after the country transitioned out of its Covid elimination strategy - and are not taking the necessary steps to try to reduce transmission.