Today we are reporting 11,634 community cases, 639 hospitalisations and 13 deaths.

It's encouraging to see case numbers continuing to decline. This supports the trend we are seeing across the seven-day rolling average. Today's seven-day average is 11,791, while last Thursday it was 14,515.

From today, people aged 16 and 17 are able to receive a free booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after completion of their primary course.

A booster, in addition to first and second doses of the vaccine, is the best defence against Omicron and severe illness. There is a much lower risk of being hospitalised if you are up to date with your vaccinations, which, for Omicron, includes a third or booster dose if eligible.

COVID-19 deaths

Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 13 people with COVID-19. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the past 10 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 456 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 17.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, three people were from Northland, one from Auckland, two from Waikato, one from Bay of Plenty, one from Whanganui, two from West Coast, and three from Southern.

Three were in their 30s, two in their 50s, two in their 60s, four in their 70s, one in their 80s, and one over 90.

Seven were women and six were men.

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

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,768 first doses; 3,975,447 second doses; 34,479 third primary doses; 2,594,367 booster doses: 259,740 paediatric first doses and 94,647 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 87 first doses; 208 second doses; 15 third primary doses; 1,704 booster doses; 92 paediatric first doses and 1,270 paediatric second doses.

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,055,536 first dose (96.4%); 4,004,656 second dose (95.1%), 2,591,983 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,548 first dose (91.2%); 503,326 second dose (88.1%), 230,447 boosted (57.5% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,628 first dose (98.2%); 276,621 second dose (96.5%), 137,266 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 257,560 first dose (54.1%); 92,530 second dose (19.4%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,494 first dose (35%); 10,419 second dose (9%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,332 first dose (47.2%); 4,992 second dose (10.1%)

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%); boosted (69.5%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71.3%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (68.4%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.8%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.3%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.1%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (68.2%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (73.4%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (72%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (70.1%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (74.8%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.1%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.9%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.3%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.4%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (75.9%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.4%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.4%); second dose (97.3%); boosted (74.9%)

*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 639: Northland: 27; Waitemata: 99; Counties Manukau: 116; Auckland: 99; Waikato: 72; Bay of Plenty: 41; Lakes: 10; Tairāwhiti: 3; Hawke’s Bay: 19; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 8; MidCentral: 17; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 12; Capital and Coast: 19; Nelson Marlborough: 14; Canterbury: 45; South Canterbury: 6; West Coast: 0; Southern: 22
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 29
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (40 cases / 12.1%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (9 cases / 2.7%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (67 cases / 20.2%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (76 cases / 23%); unknown (139 cases / 42%).

*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.

We are currently working on a data solution which would include the average age of current hospitalisations from additional DHBs.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 11,791
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 14,515
• Number of new community cases: 11,634
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 262
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 11,372
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (549), Auckland (2,179), Waikato (1,030), Bay of Plenty (553), Lakes (266), Hawke’s Bay (480), MidCentral (630), Whanganui (296), Taranaki (402), Tairāwhiti (149), Wairarapa (98), Capital and Coast (782), Hutt Valley (394), Nelson Marlborough (441), Canterbury (1,913), South Canterbury (224), Southern (1,157), West Coast (89), Unknown (2)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 51
• Number of active community cases (total): 82,513 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 740,430

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): 2,719
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 23,926
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,872
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 6 April 2022): 2 million