WELLINGTON: New Zealand reported 12,882 new community cases of COVID-19 on Monday, said the Ministry of Health in a statement. Among the new community infections, 2,300 were recorded in the largest city, Auckland. The rest of the cases were identified across the nation, including 2,119 in Canterbury, according to the ministry. In addition, there were 52 new cases of COVID-19 detected at the New Zealand border, said the ministry. Currently there are 861 COVID-19 patients being treated in New Zealand hospitals, including 21 held in intensive care. The ministry also reported 11 new deaths from COVID-19 in the country. New Zealand has reported 609,327 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. New Zealand is currently at the highest Red settings under its COVID-19 Protection Framework. At the updated Red settings starting from Friday, indoor gatherings are limited to 200 people, and no limits are set for outdoor gatherings.