Today we are reporting 12,882 community cases, 861 hospitalisations and 11 deaths.

The Ministry of Health continues to encourage people to be up to date with their vaccinations – including being boosted as the booster restores vaccine effectiveness for Omicron to 90% after it declines following your second dose. 

Our best protection both for ourselves, and for our whānau, especially as we look towards Easter weekend gatherings, is to be up-to-date with vaccinations – which includes a booster. Often those at the greatest risk of becoming sick with COVID-19 are older family members and those with comorbidities such as asthma, diabetes, and other long-term conditions.  

COVID-19 deaths

Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 11 people with COVID-19.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 269 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths to 12.

Of the nine deaths we have full details for, two were from the Auckland region, five from Waikato and one each from MidCentral and Nelson Marlborough.

Three people were in their 70s, three in their 80s and three people were in their 90s.

Seven were men and two were women.

Our thoughts and condolences are with their whānau and friends at this sad time.

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

Guidance for healthcare workers returning to work

Advice has been updated for critical healthcare workers wishing to return to work if they have COVID-19 or are a household contact.

The healthcare worker guidance has been updated to enable healthcare staff who are cases or contacts to return to work if they choose to, are well and have regular negative rapid antigen tests.

For more information, visit our updated guidance. 

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand 

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,410 first doses; 3,973,812 second doses; 34,213 third primary doses; 2,575,127 booster doses: 258,487 paediatric first doses and 71,798 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 31 first doses; 87 second doses; 1 third primary doses; 1,101 booster doses; 113 paediatric first doses and 2,756 paediatric second doses  

People vaccinated  

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,054,901 first dose (96.3%); 4,002,146 second dose (95.1%), 2,573,691 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)  
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,238 first dose (91.1%); 502,571 second dose (88%), 228,093 boosted (57.8% of those eligible)  
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,496 first dose (98.2%); 276,320 second dose (96.4%), 135,930 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 256,834 first dose (53.9%); 70,223 second dose (14.7%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,234 first dose (34.8%); 7,791 second dose (6.7%)  
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,226 first dose (47%); 3,742 second dose (7.6%)  

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 (87.9%); boosted (69.4%)  
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71.1%)  
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.3%)  
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (68.1%)  
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.3%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.5%)  
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.1%)  
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (68.5%)  
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.3%); boosted (73.5%)  
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (72.1%)  
• 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 (98.6%); 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 (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.5%)  
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (73.2%)  
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (75.8%)  
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.3%)  
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.1%); second dose (97%); boosted (74.8%)

*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 861: Northland: 32; North Shore: 141; Middlemore: 188; Auckland: 144; Waikato: 77; Bay of Plenty: 40; Lakes: 8; Tairāwhiti: 3, Hawke’s Bay: 43; Taranaki: 14; Whanganui: 5; MidCentral: 23; Hutt Valley: 17; Capital and Coast: 31; Wairarapa: 1; Nelson Marlborough: 11; Canterbury: 53; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 2; Southern: 24
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 21
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (89 cases / 19%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (13 cases / 3%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (149 cases / 32%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (181 cases / 39%); unknown (38 cases / 8%)

The figures show that just under 3% of people aged 12 and over in the Northern Region have had no doses of the vaccine, while of those aged 12 and over in Northland and Auckland hospitals with COVID-19 for whom we have vaccination status recorded, 15% have had no doses of the vaccine and are five times over-represented in our hospitalisation figures.

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 16,102
• Seven day rolling average (as at Monday last week (21 March): 17,124
• Number of new community cases: 12,882
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 171
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 12,711
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (445), Auckland (2,300), Waikato (1,215), Bay of Plenty (662), Lakes (360), Hawke’s Bay (701), MidCentral (728), Whanganui (291), Taranaki (544), Tairāwhiti (179), Wairarapa (176), Capital and Coast (918), Hutt Valley (498), Nelson Marlborough (506), Canterbury (2,119), South Canterbury (235), Southern (968), West Coast (32); Unknown (5)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 52
• Number of active community cases (total): 112,701 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 609,327

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): 1,479
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 22,873
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,668
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 28/03/22): 13.4 million