Today we are reporting 14,463 community cases, 1000 hospitalisations and 9 deaths.

Every Covid-19 hospitalisation is a reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated to prevent severe illness from Omicron. 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, including a booster, please get vaccinated as quickly as possible to ensure you are well protected against Omicron.

Covid-19 related deaths

Sadly, we are today reporting an additional nine people have died with Covid-19.

These deaths take the total number of publicly-reported Covid-related deaths to 184 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths to 10.

Of these nine people who have died, five are from Auckland region, two from Waikato, and one from Wairarapa and one from Bay of Plenty.

One of these people was in their 20s, one in their 60s, one in their 70s, two in their 80s and four in their 90s.

Five were men and four were women.

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

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

Covid-19 vaccinations

Four million Kiwis are now double dose vaccinated against Covid-19.

More than 95 per cent of those 12 and over have now completed their primary vaccination course, which is a significant achievement for Aotearoa.

“I’d like to reiterate our thanks to everyone who has chosen to make themselves and their whānau safer by getting vaccinated,” says Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

“I can’t emphasise enough that getting boosted provides the best protection against the Omicron variant.”

Across New Zealand, 3,509,497 have now had their booster, which is 73 per cent of those that have become due. More than 950,000 people can and should get their booster as soon as they can.

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,024,487 first doses; 3,971,936 second doses; 34,230 third primary doses; 2,552,901 booster doses: 256,984 paediatric first doses and 40,430 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 114 first doses; 142 second doses; 4 third primary doses; 2,244 booster doses; 217 paediatric first doses and 3,177 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,053,544 first dose (96.3%); 4,000,401 second dose (95%), 2,552,090 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 519,947 first dose (91.1%); 501,934 second dose (87.9%), 225,392 boosted (58.6% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,265 first dose (98.1%); 276,028 second dose (96.3%), 134,426 boosted (59.5% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 256,088 first dose (53.8%); 39,594 second dose (8.3%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds – Māori: 39,955 first dose (34.6%); 4,547 second dose (3.9%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds – Pacific Peoples: 23,113 first dose (46.8%); 2,196 second dose (4.4%)

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 (69.5%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.3%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (68.5%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.3%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.8%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (74.4%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.8%); boosted (69.5%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.3%); boosted (73.8%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (72.5%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (70.2%)
• 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 (95.5%); boosted (77.1%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.9%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91%); boosted (73.8%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.6%); second dose (98.6%); boosted (75.7%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.6%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.1%); second dose (96.9%); 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 1000: Northland: 33; North Shore: 173; Middlemore: 221; Auckland: 200; Waikato: 76; Bay of Plenty: 38; Lakes: 12; Tairāwhiti: 5, Hawke’s Bay: 31; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 6; MidCentral: 20; Hutt Valley: 23; Capital & Coast: 51; Wairarapa: 7; Nelson Marlborough: 11; Canterbury: 60; South Canterbury: 1; Southern: 25
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 33
•  Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (107 cases / 18%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (17 cases / 3%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (206 cases / 35%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (226 cases / 38%); unknown (38 cases / 6%)

*The figures show that just under 3% 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, 16.7% have had no doses of the vaccine and are over five times over-represented in our hospitalisation figures.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 17,124
• Number of new community cases: 14,463
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 239
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 14,224
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (422), Auckland (3279), Waikato (1401), Bay of Plenty (893), Lakes (457), Hawke’s Bay (796), MidCentral (657), Whanganui (209), Taranaki (473), Tairāwhiti (259), Wairarapa (222), Capital and Coast (951), Hutt Valley (583), Nelson Marlborough (404), Canterbury (2,267), South Canterbury (191), Southern (950), West Coast (39); Unknown (10)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 32
• Number of active community cases (total): 119,860 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 496,567

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): 1520
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 29,618
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3747
• PCR Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 21/03/22): 14.3 million