Since Friday, 10.8 million Rapid Antigen Tests have arrived in the country. This follows 5.2 million that landed on Thursday.

These new RATs will flow through the supply chain and into Community Testing Centres, GPs, pharmacies and businesses where they can be accessed by anyone who needs one.

The wide-ranging and disruptive impact of COVID-19 on the domestic freight and courier networks has had an impact on distribution and delivery times for RATs in some areas.

We are working hard to ensure there is supply in all communities, including those in remote areas.

From today, the Ministry of Health will report the number of RATs dispatched from its central warehouse, instead of the overall volume (as previously reported), in the daily COVID-19 media statement.

Vaccination and COVID-19 hospitalisations

As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, we are continuing to see a disproportionate number of unvaccinated cases requiring hospital care.

Just 3% of eligible people aged 12 and over in New Zealand have had no doses of the vaccine, however, of the eligible people in Northland and Auckland hospitals with COVID-19, 12% have had no doses of the vaccine.  

Even this early in the Omicron outbreak, the figures show that, based on the data available, unvaccinated people are four times over-represented in the current hospitalisation data.

The numbers send a clear message: getting vaccinated will help to keep you out of hospital if you catch COVID-19, and could save your life.

We know getting a booster dose provides a high level of protection against Omicron. With Omicron spreading quickly, we’re continuing to encourage every remaining eligible person to get boosted as soon as possible.

If you had your second vaccination at least 3 months ago and you’re 18 and over, you can book online at www.BookMyVaccine.nz or visit a walk-in or drive-thru vaccination clinic. For a list of vaccinations centres visit Healthpoint.

Protest update

The Ministry of Health remains concerned about the spread of COVID-19 at the protest at Parliament. 

There are now 17 people identified as having tested positive who were at the protest. Due to reluctance by protestors to get a COVID-19 test, the true number of cases linked to the protest is likely to be much higher. 

We advise all those currently at the protest, or who have been at the protest, who are displaying cold and flu symptoms to get a test and isolate until they receive their result.

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand  

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,019,345 first doses; 3,959,359 second doses; 33,421 third primary doses; 2,347,710 booster doses: 240,354 paediatric first doses and 3,269 paediatric second doses 
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 176 first doses; 423 second doses; 7 third primary doses; 13,707 booster doses; 1,175 paediatric first doses and 197 paediatric second doses   

People vaccinated (including those vaccinated overseas)*

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,062,314 first dose (96.5%); 3,999,932 second dose (95%), 2,306,762 boosted (69.5% of those eligible)*
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 518,899 first dose (90.9%); 498,008 second dose (87.2%), 194,470 boosted (58.5% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 280,531 first dose (97.9%); 274,384 second dose (95.7%), 116,338 boosted (56.3% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 236,202 first dose (49.6%); 2,712 second dose (0.6%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 34,530 first dose (29.9%); 441 second dose (0.4%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 20,520 first dose (41.5%); 371 second dose (0.8%) 

*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 (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)**

• Northland DHB: first dose (90.3%); second dose (87.8%); boosted (68.2%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (66.4%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (65.9%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (66.7%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.6%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (67.3%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (72.1%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.4%); second dose (90.7%); boosted (67.9%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.4%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (72.7%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (70.4%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.1%); boosted (67%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.7%); second dose (95%); boosted (74.2%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.7%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (77.2%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (73.9%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (75.6%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (73.3%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.8%); second dose (98.6%); boosted (71.5%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (94.1%); boosted (74.5%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (97.9%); second dose (96.6%); boosted (73.9%) 

**First and second dose percentages are for those 12+. Booster dose percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible three months after having their second dose.

Hospitalisations  

• Cases in hospital: total number 344: Northland: 5; North Shore: 53; Middlemore: 128; Auckland: 100; Tauranga: 11; Taranaki: 1; Waikato: 28; Canterbury: 4; Southern: 4; Hutt Valley: 6; Capital and Coast: 3; Tairawhiti: 1.
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 53
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 5
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (36 cases / 14.3%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 cases / 2.4%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (110 cases / 43.7%); unknown (61 cases / 24.2%) 

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases (PCR): 8,398
• Number of new community cases: 14,633
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 3,822
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 10,811
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (208), Auckland (9,305), Waikato (1,530), Bay of Plenty (762), Lakes (265), Hawke’s Bay (138), MidCentral (175), Whanganui (30), Taranaki (67), Tairāwhiti (60), Wairarapa (52), Capital and Coast (604), Hutt Valley (281), Nelson Marlborough (178), Canterbury (573), South Canterbury (24), Southern (372), West Coast (3); Unknown (6)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 24
• Number of active community cases (total): 82,105 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 100,352

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): 22,742
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 28,220
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched: 2.7 million (Please note that this number includes Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched since Friday morning)