Today we are announcing eight people who died with Covid-19 yesterday and an additional 16 people who died in the past three weeks.  Among the 24 deaths reported today are eight people whom we know died at aged residential care facilities.

Local public health authorities have notified these deaths to the Ministry in the past 24 hours as part of changes to the reporting of deaths announced last week. Delays to reporting can be associated with people dying with, rather than of Covid-19, and Covid being discovered after they have died.

This takes the total number of publicly reported deaths to date to 141. The rolling seven-day average of deaths publicly announced over the past seven days is seven, up from four yesterday.

At this point in the outbreak, we are seeing increasing numbers of people dying with Omicron. Sadly, this trend is not unexpected, and our thoughts are with the families of these people.

As has occurred with Omicron overseas, while Covid-19 cases are usually seen in higher numbers among younger people early in the outbreak, over time the more severe and fatal consequences of the virus fall disproportionately on our older and more vulnerable populations.

The average stay in hospital for Covid-19 patients in the Northern region is lengthening, and the average age increasing. This indicates those being admitted are more likely to be vulnerable because of their older age and pre-existing non-Covid health conditions.

In New Zealand we have taken significant steps to limit the spread of Covid-19 in aged care facilities, such as pausing or limiting visitors, strong infection prevention and control measures, and limiting the rotation of staff among facilities.

One of the best things everyone can do to protect older and more vulnerable people, including family and loved ones, is to get vaccinated and get boosted.

Covid-19 related deaths

Of the 24 people being reported today, three died in Northland, seven in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in the Bay of Plenty, two in MidCentral and two in Wairarapa.

One of these people was in their 40s, one in their 50s, four in their 60s, three in their 70s, eight in their 80s and six in their 90s. Eleven were women and twelve were men. Demographic information for one person is not available.

The average age of the people announced today was 79 and this has been increasing over the last week.

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

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,023,296 first doses; 3,969,783 second doses; 34,266 third primary doses; 2,528,179 booster doses: 255,045 paediatric first doses and 15,673 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 331 first doses; 576 second doses; 33 third primary doses; 5,484 booster doses; 381 paediatric first doses and 3,889 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,069,661 first dose (96.7%); 4,013,004 second dose (95.3%), 2,529,830 boosted (72.8% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,180 first dose (91.3%); 502,457 second dose (88%), 222,277 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,743 first dose (98.3%); 276,225 second dose (96.4%), 132,788 boosted (59.7% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 254,656 first dose (53.5%); 15,363 second dose (3.2%)
•  5 to 11-year-olds – Māori: 39,457 first dose (34.1%); 1,959 second dose (1.7%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds – Pacific Peoples: 22,868 first dose (46.3%); 1,139 second dose (2.3%)

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 (90.5%); second dose (88.2%); boosted (70%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.5%); second dose (96.3%); boosted (70.8%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (68.6%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (69.1%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.7%); second dose (91.7%); boosted (69.3%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (74.7%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.5%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (69.8%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.5%); second dose (90.8%); boosted (74.4%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (72.7%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (70.1%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (75.4%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.9%); second dose (98.1%); boosted (81.3%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.9%); boosted (77.3%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.3%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.5%); boosted (74.3%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (100%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (75.7%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.4%); boosted (76.9%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.3%); boosted (75.3%)

*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 971: Northland: 25; North Shore: 174; Middlemore: 243; Auckland: 205; Waikato: 73; Bay of Plenty: 39; Lakes: 13; Tairāwhiti: 2, Hawke’s Bay: 30; Taranaki: 14; MidCentral: 19; Hutt Valley: 26; Capital and Coast: 39; Wairarapa: 5; Nelson Marlborough: 12; Canterbury: 37; South Canterbury: 2; Southern: 13.
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 21
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (106 cases / 18%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (22 cases / 4%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (208 cases / 35%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (200 cases / 34%); unknown (53 cases / 9%)

*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, 15.7% have had no doses of the vaccine and are five times over-represented in our hospitalisation figures.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 18,791
• Number of new community cases: 19,542
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 522
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 18,930
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (661), Auckland (5318), Waikato (1834), Bay of Plenty (1347), Lakes (584), Hawke’s Bay (1049), MidCentral (802), Whanganui (231), Taranaki (663), Tairāwhiti (370), Wairarapa (208), Capital and Coast (1308), Hutt Valley (780), Nelson Marlborough (487), Canterbury (2385), South Canterbury (184), Southern (1,203), West Coast (30); Unknown (7)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 35
• Number of active community cases (total):  197,464 (cases identified in the past 10 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 417,825

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): 5241
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 26,380
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 4620
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 15/03/22): 12.8 million