Today we are reporting 5,647 community cases, 350 hospitalisations and 3 deaths.

Today’s seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 7,510 – approximately the same as last Sunday's 7,414 reported cases.

As people return to work and other activities this week, it’s a timely reminder for people to continue to follow public health advice to stay at home and stay away from school or work if you’re feeling unwell. Another way to protect you and your whānau is to get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so.

Vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19 and getting boosted is an important way people can protect themselves, their whānau and their friends from the virus.

Please if you are due for a vaccination, whether it be a second shot or booster, make an appointment today or attend a walk-in clinic.

Border case with Omicron BA.5 variant

A person who has travelled from overseas to New Zealand has been confirmed as having the BA.5 variant of Omicron. This is the first known detection of the variant in New Zealand.

The person arrived in New Zealand from South Africa on 26 April, returned a positive RAT from their day 5/6 test on 1 May and a positive PCR sample taken on 2 May and the result reported the following day. Whole genome sequencing was undertaken as part of ongoing border surveillance for emerging variants and subsequently confirmed the BA.5 variant.

The person followed all testing and reporting requirements, allowing this new sub-variant to be identified quickly, and has now completed their isolation at home.

This follows the detection of BA.4 on 1 May also in a person who had travelled from South Africa.

Both BA.4 and BA.5 have been reported in Southern Africa and Europe, and both variants have been detected in Australia. The arrival of the BA.5 sub-variant in New Zealand is not unexpected and underlines the importance of the rapid antigen testing of all arrivals at day 0/1 and day 5/6 followed by a PCR test of any arrivals who test positive which then allows whole genome sequencing to be done. 

At this stage, the public health settings already in place to manage other Omicron variants are assessed to be appropriate for managing both BA.4 and BA.5 and no changes are required.

Both BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants are being monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO).  The WHO says that vaccination remains effective against these new subvariants.

It can take weeks or months to assess the severity of each new variant or sub-variant, so the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the emerging evidence closely.

COVID-19 deaths

Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of three people with COVID-19. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the past three days.

Delays to reporting can be associated with people dying with COVID-19, rather than from COVID-19, and COVID being discovered only after they have died.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 860 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 16.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today; two people were from Canterbury and one from MidCentral.

Two people were in their 80s and one was aged over 90.

Two were men and one was a woman.

This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this time.

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

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand  

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,832 first doses; 3,978,399 second doses; 31,920 third primary doses; 2,637,878 booster doses: 261,929 paediatric first doses and 118,801 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 27 first doses; 43 second doses; 6 third primary doses; 1,256 booster doses; 105 paediatric first doses and 686 paediatric second doses  

People vaccinated  

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,055,844 first dose (96.4%); 4,006,786 second dose (95.2%), 2,633,023 boosted (70.9% of those eligible)  
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,095 first dose (91.3%); 504,171 second dose (88.3%), 235,425 boosted (54.3% of those eligible)  
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,933 first dose (98.3%); 277,068 second dose (96.6%), 140,464 boosted (56.8% of those eligible)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 259,063 first dose (54.4%); 115,971 second dose (24.3%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,853 first dose (35.4%); 13,273 second dose (11.5%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,531 first dose (47.6%); 6,752 second dose (13.7%)  

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 (88.1%); boosted (67.5%)  
• Auckland DHB: first dose (99.1%); second dose (98.2%); boosted (73%)  
• Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (65.9%)  
• Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.8%)  
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66.4%)  
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (65.7%)  
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (66%)  
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (71.9%)  
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (65.6%)  
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.2%)  
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (69.5%)  
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.8%)  
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95%); boosted (72.8%)  
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.4%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.3%)  
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (74.7%)  
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.2%)  
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (71.3%)  
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (74.2%)  
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.7%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.2%)  
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.5%); boosted (73%)

*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 or 16 and 17 year olds who have become eligible 6 months after having their second dose.

Hospitalisations 

• Cases in hospital: total number 350: Northland: 10; Waitemata: 41; Counties Manukau: 33; Auckland: 73; Waikato: 30; Bay of Plenty: 21; Lakes: 3; Tairāwhiti: 0; Hawke’s Bay: 13; Taranaki: 6; Whanganui: 0; MidCentral: 16; Wairarapa: 2; Hutt Valley: 3; Capital and Coast: 14; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 59; South Canterbury: 2; West Coast: 1; Southern: 17
• Average age of current hospitalisations*: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 17
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (37 cases / 16%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 cases / 3%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (70 cases / 31%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (111 cases / 49%); unknown (4 cases / 2%)

* Please note the average age of current hospitalisations is for the Northern Region admissions only at this stage. This data is recorded and extracted from the same source as the vaccination status of patients in Northern Region hospitals.

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 7,510
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 7,414
• Number of new community cases: 5,647
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 210
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 5,437
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (129), Auckland (1,895), Waikato (353), Bay of Plenty (143), Lakes (77), Hawke’s Bay (176), MidCentral (184), Whanganui (69), Taranaki (131), Tairāwhiti (30), Wairarapa (67), Capital and Coast (424), Hutt Valley (206), Nelson Marlborough (189), Canterbury (914), South Canterbury (83), Southern (523), West Coast (51), Unknown (3)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 73
• Number of active community cases (total): 52,558 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 986,261

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): 2,631
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 9,939
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,429
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 7 May 2022): 1.6 million – this figure will be updated Monday 9 May.