The Ministry of Health has confirmed New Zealand's youngest death of someone with Covid-19, a child aged 0-9, tested positive for the virus "post-death".
There were no deaths announced at the latest 1pm update, however the death was included on an update to the ministry's website on Friday afternoon around 2pm.
Comparing Thursday's data to Friday's, it appears the death occurred in Counties Manukau DHB.
In a statement on Friday evening the Ministry of Health gave more details on the child's death.
"A young child, who sadly died earlier this week, was tested for Covid-19 post-death and returned a positive result. The child was a contact of an identified case but was not a known Covid-19 case before the time of death.
"The death remains under investigation and has been referred to the coroner. For privacy reasons, and out of respect for the family, no further information will be provided at this time.
"The ministry would like to express its heartfelt sympathies to the family of the child at this incredibly difficult time."
The statement added that health authorities may test a deceased person for Covid-19 if their cause of death is not clear.
On Wednesday the ministry confirmed a person in their late 30s died from Covid-19 on Friday last week.
Before today this was the youngest recorded death with Covid in New Zealand.
There were 76 new Covid-19 cases announced in the community on Friday.
The cases are in Auckland (47), Waikato (15), Bay of Plenty (10), Lakes (1), Taranaki (3).
Fifty-one people are in hospital with Covid-19. Five are in ICU or in a high-dependency unit, one in North Shore, two in Auckland and two in Middlemore.
It brings the total number of active cases to 2104. Active cases are defined as people identified as Covid-19 cases in the past 21 days and haven't been classed as recovered.
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