Today we are reporting 9,047 community cases, 484 hospitalisations and 13 deaths.

Today’s seven-day rolling average of case numbers is 7,705 – similar to last Thursday, when it was 7,935.

It’s an ongoing reminder to remain vigilant. Please continue to follow public health advice to stay at home, away from school or work if you’re feeling unwell.

Another way to protect you, your whānau and friends is to get vaccinated, if you aren’t already. It’s free and available for everyone aged five and over.

Vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19 and a booster – in addition to first and second doses – gives you greater immunity against Omicron and severe illness. There’s a much lower risk of being hospitalised if you’re up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations.

So, if you or your whānau are due for a COVID-19 vaccination – whether it be a first or second dose or a booster – please, make an appointment today.

COVID-19 deaths

Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 13 people with COVID-19. The deaths being reported today are for people who have died over the previous nine days, apart from two deaths on 4 April.

Delays to reporting can also be associated with people dying with COVID-19, rather than from COVID-19, and COVID being discovered only after they have died.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 723 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, two people were from the Auckland region, three from Bay of Plenty, two from Waikato, one from Taranaki, one from MidCentral, one from Hawke’s Bay, and three from Canterbury.

Two were in their 50s, two in their 60s, one in their 70s, three in their 80s, and five were over 90.

Five were women and eight were men.

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

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,504 first doses; 3,977,718 second doses; 31,714 third primary doses; 2,625,636 booster doses: 261,243 paediatric first doses and 112,871 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 46 first doses; 123 second doses; 20 third primary doses; 1,600 booster doses; 104 paediatric first doses and 1,121 paediatric second doses.

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,187 first dose (96.4%); 4,006,777 second dose (95.2%), 2,621,890 boosted (71% of those eligible)  
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,959 first dose (91.2%); 503,961 second dose (88.3%), 233,979 boosted (54.8% of those eligible)  
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,834 first dose (98.3%); 276,928 second dose (96.6%), 139,456 boosted (57% of those eligible)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,552 first dose (54.3%); 110,228 second dose (23.1%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,754 first dose (35.3%); 12,458 second dose (10.8%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,447 first dose (47.5%); 6,209 second dose (12.6%)  

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

Vaccination rates for all DHBs*

• Northland DHB: first dose (90.1%); second dose (88%); boosted (67.8%)
• Auckland DHB: first dose (99.2%); second dose (98.3%); boosted (72.9%)
• Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (65.9%)
• Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.7%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66.6%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (66%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (66.4%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.2%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91%); boosted (65.9%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.5%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (69.8%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (68.1%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95%); boosted (73%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.4%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (75%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.4%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (71.6%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (74.5%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.7%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.5%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.2%).

*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 484: Northland: 36; Waitemata: 74; Counties Manukau: 60; Auckland: 105; Waikato: 33; Bay of Plenty: 14; Lakes: 3; Tairāwhiti: 1; Hawke’s Bay: 12; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 7; Wairarapa: 2; Hutt Valley: 14; Capital and Coast: 9; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 60; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 33
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 15
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (45 cases / 17.31%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (5 cases / 1.92%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (79 cases / 30.38%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (124 cases / 47.69%); Unknown (7 cases / 2.69%)

*Please note the average age of current hospitalisations is for the Northern Region admissions only at this stage. This data is recorded and extracted from the same source as the vaccination status of patients in Northern Region hospitals.

We are currently working on a data solution which would include the average age of current hospitalisations from additional DHBs.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 7,705
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 7,935
• Number of new community cases: 9,047
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 355
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 8,692

• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (276), Auckland (2,519), Waikato (550), Bay of Plenty (335), Lakes (129), Hawke’s Bay (281), MidCentral (344), Whanganui (108), Taranaki (215), Tairāwhiti (137), Wairarapa (95), Capital and Coast (589), Hutt Valley (236), Nelson Marlborough (358), Canterbury (1,505), South Canterbury (185), Southern (1,065), West Coast (113), Unknown (7)

• Number of new cases identified at the border: 80
• Number of active community cases (total): 53,917 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 912,490

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): 3,412
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 17,483
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,233
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 22 April 2022): 629,000.