1573 community cases – 1140 in Auckland; 63 in hospital

MINISTRY OF HEALTH UPDATE

February 17, 2022

The Big Boost push continues to see tens of thousands of people going out to get their booster dose each day. Yesterday, 40,452 booster doses were administered across the motu and brings the total so far to more than two million doses.

It’s also fantastic news that more than 90% of Māori aged 12 years and over in the Hutt Valley have now been full vaccinated, becoming the fourth DHB area in Aotearoa to achieve this milestone.

The most important step anyone can take to prepare for Omicron is to book their vaccine which is our best defence against the virus.

Every dose counts and lowers the chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised, so if it’s been three months since your last dose, please book your booster today.

Since January 22, when the first Omicron case was detected in the community, double vaccinated cases are ten times less likely to require hospitalisation than unvaccinated cases – 4% of unvaccinated cases have required hospitalisation and 0.4% of fully vaccinated cases have required hospitalisation.

Testing reminder

We are continuing to experience high demand at Covid-19 testing sites and we are asking people to please be patient. It’s important that you only seek a test if you have cold or flu symptoms, have been identified as a close contact, or have been asked to get tested by a health official.

We understand that some people will be feeling worried or anxious at this time and will want a test for their own reassurance. However, unnecessary testing will result in long waits at testing centres and could also delay results for those who urgently need them.

For a full list of testing sites nationwide, visit the Healthpoint website

Keep scanning

Scanning in with the NZ Covid Tracer App continues to be a valuable tool for identifying locations of interest and contacts of cases under Phase 2. Keeping a record of where you have been will enable you to quickly identify if you may have been exposed to Covid-19 and quickly contact your contacts if you become a case.

Keeping Bluetooth enabled also helps to anonymously protect people you’ve been near.

Neither the Ministry of Health – or any other government agencies – have access to the data on your phone. This is held by you unless you agree to share it with contact tracers or upload it through the contact tracing form.

Covid -19 vaccine update

Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people aged 12 and over): 4,014,939 first doses (96%); 3,948,146 second doses (95%); 2,006,361 booster doses (62%).
Vaccines administered yesterday: 2320 first doses; 1487 second doses; 1677 paediatric doses; 40,452 booster doses.
Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 517,070 first doses (91%); 494,268 second doses (87%).
Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 279,533 first doses (98%); 272,795 second doses (95%).
Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 219,666 first doses (46%)
Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 31,112 first doses (27%)
Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 18,254 first doses (37%)

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

Northland DHB: first doses (90%); second doses (87%)
Auckland Metro DHBs: first doses (97%); second doses (96%)
Waikato DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%)
Bay of Plenty DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%)
Lakes DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%)
MidCentral DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%)
Tairāwhiti DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (90%)
Whanganui DHB: first doses (92%); second doses (90%)
Hawke’s Bay: first doses (97%); second doses (95%)
Taranaki DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%)
Wairarapa DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%)
Capital and Coast DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%)
Hutt Valley DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%)
Nelson Marlborough DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%)
West Coast DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%)
Canterbury DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%)
South Canterbury DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (94%)
Southern DHB: first doses (98%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: total number 63: North Shore: 4; Middlemore: 22; Auckland: 28; Rotorua: 1; Tauranga: 3; Waikato: 3; Wellington: 1, Tairawhiti: 1.
Average age of current hospitalisations: 62
Cases in ICU or HDU: 0
Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (4 cases / 9%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (N/A cases / 0%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (27 cases / 59%); unknown (15 cases / 32%).

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 844
Seven day rolling average of border cases: 17
Number of new community cases: 1573
Location of new community cases*: Northland (31), Auckland (1140), Waikato (143), Bay of Plenty (29), Lakes (35), Hawke’s Bay (2), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (11), Taranaki (8), Tairāwhiti (8), Wairarapa (30), Capital and Coast (20), Hutt Valley (22), Nelson Marlborough (49), Canterbury (7), Southern (35).
Number of new cases identified at the border: 15
Location of origin of border cases: India (1), Australia (1) Full travel history not obtained (10).
Number of active community cases (total): 8147 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
Confirmed cases (total): 24,660

* 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.