Increasing numbers of cases and hospitalisations are another reminder that vaccination is our best defence against the virus.

There is growing evidence that three doses of Pfizer is protective against infection and symptomatic infection for Omicron. 

We are strongly encouraging people to get a booster dose if it has been more than three months since their second dose.

There were 24,632 booster doses administered across the motu yesterday and overall, around 68.2% of the eligible population have received a booster dose.

Positive rapid antigen test reporting

The total number of cases reported will now include those identified from both RATs and PCR tests. A breakdown gives how many cases were identified using PCR and how many through RATs.

Today’s figure will include cases identified with RATs in the same midnight-to-midnight reporting period used for reporting positive PCR tests.

The Omicron public health response during Phase Two and Three operates on more devolved model to ensure health resources are focused on those who need it most. It is very important to the overall response that people self-report positive results for RATs, so we understand the size of the outbreak.

We’d like to thank the thousands of people who have already self-reported positive RAT results.

Based on overseas experiences, the Ministry of Health has been expecting the true number of community cases to be higher than the cases reported each day and this has been factored into our Omicron planning.

When assessing the outbreak, health officials typically review trends in the 7-day rolling average of community cases to understand the spread of the virus, as well as hospitalisations to understand severe COVID-19 illness and related impacts on the health system. Because we focus on the actual trend, any potential ‘undercount’ doesn’t significantly impact our assessment of the trend, and subsequent public health advice and decision-making.

Further information on RATS will be reported in coming days.

COVID-19 related death

Sadly, we are reporting the death of a patient with COVID-19 at Middlemore Hospital.

The family has requested that no further details be released and, out of respect for those wishes, we will be making no further comment.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the patient’s family and friends at this deeply sad time.

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand  

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,017,924 first doses; 3,955,733 second doses; 32,938 third primary doses; 2,248,153 booster doses: 232,359 paediatric first doses and 2,239 paediatric second doses 
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 536 first doses; 1,146 second doses; 136 third primary doses; 24,632 booster doses; 1,385 paediatric first doses and 150 paediatric second doses 

People vaccinated (including those vaccinated overseas)

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,060,799 first dose (96.5%); 3,997,213 second dose (95%), 2,249,809 boosted (68.2% of those eligible)* 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 518,452 first dose (90.8%); 497,159 second dose (87.1%), 188,490 boosted (57.5% of those eligible) 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 280,301 first dose (97.8%); 273,994 second dose (95.6%), 112,815 boosted (55% of those eligible) 
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 232,276 first dose (48.8%); 2,259 second dose (0.5%) 
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 33,669 first dose (29.1%); 368 second dose (0.3%) 
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 20,040 first dose (40.6%); 337 second dose (0.7%) 

*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 (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

• Northland DHB: first dose (90.3%); second dose (87.7%); boosted (67.5%) 
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (96%); boosted (65%) 
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (64.8%) 
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.2%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (65.7%) 
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.6%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (66.3%) 
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (70.9%) 
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.3%); second dose (90.6%); boosted (67%) 
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.3%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.8%) 
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (69.5%) 
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93%); boosted (65.6%) 
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.7%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (73.4%) 
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.7%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (75.6%) 
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (72.7%) 
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.9%) 
• West Coast DHB: first dose (93%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (71.9%) 
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.5%); boosted (69.8%) 
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (94%); boosted (73.1%) 
• Southern DHB: first dose (97.8%); second dose (96.5%); boosted (73%)

Hospitalisations 

• Cases in hospital: total number 205: North Shore: 33; Middlemore: 67; Auckland: 77; Tauranga: 6; Lakes: 4; Waikato: 8; Hutt Valley: 5; Capital and Coast: 3; Canterbury: 2; Tairāwhiti: 1
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 52
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 2
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (23 cases / 14.5%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (2 cases / 1.3%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (73 cases / 45.9%%); unknown (21 cases / 13.2%)

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases (PCR): 2,911
• Number of new community cases: 6,137
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 3,526
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 2,611
• Location of new community cases (PCR): Northland (56), Auckland (1,979), Waikato (314), Bay of Plenty (116), Lakes (75), Hawke’s Bay (30), MidCentral (69), Whanganui (13), Taranaki (30), Tairāwhiti (26), Wairarapa (11), Capital and Coast (120), Hutt Valley (68), Nelson Marlborough (112), Canterbury (194), South Canterbury (3), Southern (305), West Coast (4)
• Location of new community cases (RAT): Northland (24), Auckland (1,900), Waikato (163), Bay of Plenty (75), Lakes (16), Hawke’s Bay (30), MidCentral (8), Whanganui (4), Taranaki (4), Tairāwhiti (0), Wairarapa (4), Capital and Coast (44), Hutt Valley (5), Nelson Marlborough (11), Canterbury (43), South Canterbury (3), Southern (290), West Coast (0)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 8
• Location of origin of border cases: Full travel history not obtained (8)
• Number of active community cases (total): 27,611 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 42,469

* 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): 33,225
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 29,085
• PCR testing positivity (last 24 hours): 10.9%
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests stock available in New Zealand: 6.3 million