The number of Omicron cases in New Zealand's has risen dramatically within the past seven days

Education Minister Chris Hipkins says a week ago... there were Covid outbreaks at one in ten schools.

That number is now one in five.

Hipkins has this morning announced the Government will be supplying schools with 40-million masks to help prevent the spread of the virus.

He says the Government is taking steps to ensure it's providing as much protection as possible in education environments.

He says the masks in schools will be the medical grade ones that people are getting used to wearing.