The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield are leading a briefing this afternoon to provide updates on the response to the Omicron outbreak.

Dr Bloomfield will be joined by the president of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, Dr Samantha Murton form 1pm.

SunLive will provide updates throughout the afternoon for those who are not able to tune into the livestream above.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported the deaths of four people with Covid-19.

Two of the deaths have occurred in the Lakes DHB area, one in one in Tairāwhiti, and one in Counties Manukau.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the patients' family and friends," says an MOH spokesperson.

"Out of respect, we will be making no further comment."

In Wednesday's daily Covid update, the Ministry reported 22,454 new cases.

Of those, 1427 were in the Bay of Plenty and 633 were in the Lakes.

According to the latest numbers from Toi Te Ora Public Health, there were 869 new cases in Tauranga, 232 new cases in the Western Bay of Plenty.

SunLive will provide the latest Covid numbers as soon as they are released this afternoon/