Today we are reporting 18,423 community cases, 913 hospitalisations and 11 deaths.

Every hospitalisation is a reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated to prevent severe illness from COVID-19. There is a much lower risk of being hospitalised if you are up to date with your vaccinations, which for Omicron includes a third or booster dose.

So, if you’re due any dose of the vaccine, please get vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure you are well protected against Omicron.

COVID-19 deaths

Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 11 people with COVID-19.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 221 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths to 10.

Of these 11 deaths we are reporting today, three people are from the Auckland region, one is from Bay of Plenty, four are from Waikato, one is from Taranaki, one is from the Wellington region, and one is from Canterbury.

One of these people was in their 50s, three people were in their 70s, three people were in their 80s, and four people were in their 90s.

Seven were men and four were women.

Our thoughts and condolences are with their whānau and friends at this sad time.

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

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand 

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,058 first doses; 3,973,003 second doses; 34,184 third primary doses; 2,564,620 booster doses: 257,612 paediatric first doses and 52,446 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 216 first doses; 336 second doses; 23 third primary doses; 3,694 booster doses; 196 paediatric first doses and 4,241 paediatric second doses  

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,054,594 first dose (96.3%); 4,001,735 second dose (95.1%), 2,563,607 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)  
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,152 first dose (91.1%); 502,370 second dose (88%), 226,840 boosted (58.3% of those eligible)  
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,417 first dose (98.2%); 276,208 second dose (96.3%), 135,035 boosted (59.4% of those eligible)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 256,400 first dose (53.8%); 51,302 second dose (10.8%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,065 first dose (34.7%); 5,872 second dose (5.1%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,140 first dose (46.8%); 2,724 second dose (5.5%)  

Note that the number for “People vaccinated” differs slightly from “Vaccines administered” as it includes those that have been vaccinated overseas.

You’ll note in the figures today there has been a negative movement in the booster uptake for both Māori and Pacific populations. This is as a result of more people becoming eligible to receive a booster.

Vaccination rates for all DHBs*

• Northland DHB: first dose (90.1%); second dose (87.9%); boosted (69.5%)  
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71%)  
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.4%)  
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (68.3%)  
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.3%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.7%)  
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.4%)  
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.8%); boosted (69%)  
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (92%); second dose (90.3%); boosted (73.7%)  
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (72.3%)  
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (70.1%)  
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (75%)  
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.6%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.2%)  
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (77%)  
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.8%)  
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91%); boosted (73.8%)  
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.6%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (75.8%)  
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.5%)  
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.1%); second dose (97%); boosted (75%)

*Partially and second doses percentages are for those 12+. Boosted percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible 3 months after having their second dose

Percentages are based on 2020 HSU data - a health-specific population denominator. As the population continues to change over time, coverage rates can exceed 100%.

Hospitalisations* 

• Cases in hospital: total number 913: Northland: 22; North Shore: 148; Middlemore: 207; Auckland: 159; Waikato: 82; Bay of Plenty: 39; Lakes: 16; Tairāwhiti: 4, Hawke’s Bay: 40; Taranaki: 16; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 23; Hutt Valley: 17; Capital and Coast: 43; Wairarapa: 7; Nelson Marlborough: 11; Canterbury: 51; South Canterbury: 3; Southern: 22
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 28
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (91 cases / 18.2%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (21 cases / 4.2%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (168 cases / 33.7%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (192 cases / 38.5%); unknown (27 cases / 5.4%)

*The figures show that almost 4% of people aged 12 and over in the Northern Region have had no doses of the vaccine, while of those aged 12 and over in Northland and Auckland hospitals with COVID-19 for whom we have vaccination status recorded, 16% have had no doses of the vaccine and are more than three times over-represented in our hospitalisation figures.

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 16,949
• Number of new community cases: 18,423
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 402
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 18,021
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (674), Auckland (3,629), Waikato (1,643), Bay of Plenty (987), Lakes (483), Hawke’s Bay (1,055), MidCentral (876), Whanganui (313), Taranaki (655), Tairāwhiti (326), Wairarapa (249), Capital and Coast (1,200), Hutt Valley (627), Nelson Marlborough (709), Canterbury (3,150), South Canterbury (319), Southern (1,459), West Coast (57); Unknown (12)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 44
• Number of active community cases (total): 118,631 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 556,049

Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

Tests 

• Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 3,268
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 36,969
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,016
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 23/03/22): 18.1 million