The Cook Islands should see its Covid-19 numbers peaking over the next two weeks, according to a public health advisor.

Te Marae Ora figures provided to Cook Islands News show there had been 113 cases on Monday and 112 cases on Tuesday – bringing the overall total up to 1060 cases since the pandemic began.

It was the first two days for Covid-19 numbers to reach three figures, but public health expert Dr Douglas Lush said this trend would likely continue over the next fortnight.

“It’s a little unknown, as we don’t know everything that is going on in the community, but we should expect daily case numbers to be at that level for at least another two weeks,” Lush said.

“These numbers will also correlate to a high level of infection.”

Lush said it was “very difficult to predict” when the numbers would subside, but he expected a “peak sometime in early April”, and then the start of a subsidence.

“The momentum of infection is unavoidable,” Lush said.

“Once that rate of infection increases, it creates a chain reaction which is very difficult to stop.”

Lush still stood by his earlier prediction that eventually up to 7000 people in Rarotonga – more than half its population – would be infected by Covid-19.

“Expect more serious cases, and expect hospitalisations,” Lush said.

However, Lush said he was surprised by the fact that Aitutaki had recorded only five Covid-19 cases so far.

“Not all cases do transmit to others, but we are likely to see a reasonable increase in numbers over time.”