Today we are reporting 15,871 community cases, 899 hospitalisations and 13 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 13 people with COVID-19.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 234 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths to 11.

Of these 13 deaths we are reporting today, four people are from the Auckland region, one is from Bay of Plenty, one is from Waikato, one is from Hawke’s Bay, one is from Taranaki, one is from MidCentral, and four are from the Wellington region.

One of these people was in their 30s, three people were in their 60s, five people were in their 70s, three people were in their 80s, and one person was in their 90s.

Eight were men and five 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: 4,025,174 first doses; 3,973,288 second doses; 34,172 third primary doses; 2,567,717 booster doses: 257,809 paediatric first doses and 56,485 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 141 first doses; 273 second doses; 18 third primary doses; 2,996 booster doses; 176 paediatric first doses and 4,024 paediatric second doses  

People vaccinated  

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,054,392 first dose (96.3%); 4,001,578 second dose (95.1%), 2,566,414 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)  
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,158 first dose (91.1%); 502,429 second dose (88%), 227,276 boosted (58.1% of those eligible)  
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,412 first dose (98.2%); 276,220 second dose (96.4%), 135,177 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 256,481 first dose (53.8%); 55,242 second dose (11.6%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,105 first dose (34.7%); 6,306 second dose (5.5%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,149 first dose (46.9%); 2,907 second dose (5.9%)  

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 (87.9%); boosted (69.4%)  
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71%)  
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.3%)  
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (68.2%)  
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.3%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.6%)  
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.2%)  
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.8%); boosted (68.9%)  
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.3%); boosted (73.7%)  
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (72.2%)  
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (70.1%)  
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (74.9%)  
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.1%)  
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.9%)  
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.7%)  
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (73.5%)  
• 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 (74.9%)

*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 899: Northland: 25; North Shore: 150; Middlemore: 209; Auckland: 151; Waikato: 78; Bay of Plenty: 43; Lakes: 13; Tairāwhiti: 3, Hawke’s Bay: 40; Taranaki: 13; Whanganui: 1; MidCentral: 21; Hutt Valley: 12; Capital and Coast: 42; Wairarapa: 3; Nelson Marlborough: 13; Canterbury: 57; South Canterbury: 3; West Coast: 1; Southern: 21
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 58
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 27
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (93 cases / 19.4%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (17 cases / 3.5%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (157 cases / 32.7%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (182 cases / 37.9%); unknown (31 cases / 6.5%)

*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, 17.8% have had no doses of the vaccine and are more than four times over-represented in our hospitalisation figures.

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 17,197
• Number of new community cases: 15,871
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 360
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 15,511
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (558), Auckland (2,982), Waikato (1,432), Bay of Plenty (1,024), Lakes (420), Hawke’s Bay (873), MidCentral (814), Whanganui (330), Taranaki (591), Tairāwhiti (224), Wairarapa (251), Capital and Coast (1,063), Hutt Valley (567), Nelson Marlborough (519), Canterbury (2,659), South Canterbury (251), Southern (1245), West Coast (59); Unknown (9)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 29
• Number of active community cases (total): 120,371 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 571,954

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): 3,142
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 32,575
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,828
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 23/03/22): 19.7 million