The Ministry of Health has reported 22,527 new cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand as well as five new deaths of patients with COVID-19.
There are 562 people in hospital, 11 of whom are in ICU.
What you need to know:
- There were 22,527 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Friday
- Location of Friday's new community cases: Northland (515), Auckland (13,252), Waikato (1,674), Bay of Plenty (1,248), Lakes (464), Hawke’s Bay (325), MidCentral (364), Whanganui (79), Taranaki (257), Tairāwhiti (155), Wairarapa (69), Capital and Coast (1,356), Hutt Valley (577), Nelson Marlborough (304), Canterbury (1,163), South Canterbury (63), Southern (632), West Coast (16); Unknown (14)
- COVID cases in hospital on Friday's total number 562: Northland: 6; North Shore: 93; Middlemore: 186; Auckland: 148 ; Waikato: 49; BOP: 15; Rotorua: 6; Tairawhiti: 3; Hawke’s Bay: 3; Taranaki: 3; MidCentral: 9; Whanganui: 1; Hutt Valley: 5; Capital and Coast: 17; Nelson Marlborough: 3; Canterbury: 8; Southern: 5
- There have been five new deaths of people with COVID-19
- The 23-day occupation of Parliament's grounds was been brought to an end on Wednesday with a major police operation, though protesters have now moved to other parts of Wellington and the surrounding region
- Police have established a crime scene around Parliament grounds and nearby streets
These live updates have now finished.
1:30pm - New Zealand has passed the all-time per capita COVID-19 case peaks of the United States, Britain and European Union as Omicron sweeps across the nation.
But in terms of COVID-related deaths, New Zealand pales in comparison. The information is available on the Financial Times' handy coronavirus tracker, which enables you to compare data collected from across the globe.
1:20pm - The ministry says anyone who is symptomatic or a household contact can order RATS.
You, or someone of your behalf, can collect your RAT order from a collection site listed on Healthpoint. Please only go to those sites that are listed as collection sites.
The priority for COVID-19 response for free RATs remains those who are symptomatic or a household contact. Please do not order or request RATs from testing centre or collections sites unless you are unwell or a household contact.
International travel pre-departure testing is not covered under the public health response. If you are well, you can still purchase RATs from one of a growing number of retailers which stock them.
1:15pm - The Ministry of Health says 130,000 orders were placed for RATs through its new booking site on Thursday. That covers more than 500,000 people or about 2 million tests.
"The Ministry wants to reassure people that we have enough RATs to help New Zealand through a widespread Omicron outbreak in the coming months. Over the past week, 8.8m million RATs have been distributed. Over the weekend, another 8m RATs are expected to arrive in the country with another 99 million confirmed for delivery this month.
"There are 177 collection sites, 99 testing centres, and 30 providers supporting our priority population groups nationwide.
"So, while we are anticipating continued high demand, our request is to, please, be patient and kind to each other and staff. They are working as hard as they can."
1:10pm - Vaccinations administered in New Zealand:
- Vaccines administered to date: 4,020,752 first doses; 3,962,646 second doses; 33,775 third primary doses; 2,424,158 booster doses: 245,799 paediatric first doses and 4,215 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 315 first doses; 743 second doses; 99 third primary doses; 15,195 booster doses; 1,150 paediatric first doses and 223 paediatric second doses
People vaccinated
- All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,065,276 first dose (96.6%); 4,005,356 second dose (95.2%), 2,425,809 boosted (72.2% of those eligible)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 519,794 first dose (91%); 499,819 second dose (87.5%), 208,325 boosted (60.3% of those eligible)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,031 first dose (98%); 275,094 second dose (96%), 124,751 boosted (59% of those eligible)
- 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 245,670 first dose (51.6%); 4,179 second dose (0.9%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 36,829 first dose (31.9%); 690 second dose (0.6%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 21,704 first dose (43.9%); 525 second dose (1.1%)
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 (90.4%); second dose (88%); boosted (70.2%)
- Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (96.2%); boosted (69.5%)
- Waikato DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (68.2%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (69.1%)
- Lakes DHB: first dose (93.7%); second dose (91.5%); boosted (69.6%)
- MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (74.6%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.5%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (70.1%)
- Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.5%); second dose (90.6%); boosted (74.5%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (72.3%)
- Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (69.4%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (76.2%)
- Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.8%); second dose (97.9%); boosted (80.5%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (76.8%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (76.8%)
- West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (74.8%)
- Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.9%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (74.7%)
- South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.2%); boosted (76.1%)
- Southern DHB: first dose (98.1%); second dose (96.9%); boosted (75.7%)
*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
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: total number 562: Northland: 6; North Shore: 93; Middlemore: 186; Auckland: 148 ; Waikato: 49; BOP: 15; Rotorua: 6; Tairawhiti: 3; Hawke’s Bay: 3; Taranaki: 3; MidCentral: 9; Whanganui: 1; Hutt Valley: 5; Capital and Coast: 17; Nelson Marlborough: 3; Canterbury: 8; Southern: 5.
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 53
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 11
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (70 cases / 18.3%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 cases / 1.6%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (147 cases / 38.5%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (73 cases / 19.1%); unknown (86 cases / 22.5 %)
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 16,163
- Number of new community cases: 22,527
- Number of new community cases (PCR): 3,748
- Number of new community cases (RAT): 18,779
- Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (515), Auckland (13,252), Waikato (1,674), Bay of Plenty (1,248), Lakes (464), Hawke’s Bay (325), MidCentral (364), Whanganui (79), Taranaki (257), Tairāwhiti (155), Wairarapa (69), Capital and Coast (1,356), Hutt Valley (577), Nelson Marlborough (304), Canterbury (1,163), South Canterbury (63), Southern (632), West Coast (16); Unknown (14)
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 8 (1 confirmed, 7 probable)
- Number of active community cases (total): 152,358 (cases identified in the past10 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 187,964
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): 19,544
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 22,549
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days): 8.8 million
1:05pm - There are 22,527 new cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand, with 562 people in hospital. The vast bulk of the cases are located in Auckland.
There have also been five deaths, according to the Ministry of Health:
- A patient with COVID-19 passed away at Tauranga Hospital yesterday. The person was in hospital for an unrelated condition but had tested positive for COVID-19.
- A patient passed away at Waikato Hospital yesterday. The person died of an unrelated medical condition and had tested positive for COVID-19.
- A person in Dunedin who died of an unrelated medical condition yesterday while receiving palliative care and had tested positive for COVID-19
- Two patients who passed away with COVID-19 in Middlemore Hospital, on 1 March and 27 February. Both people had unrelated medical conditions and had tested positive for COVID-19
"Our thoughts and condolences are with these peoples’ family and friends.
"Out of respect for privacy, we will be making no further comment.
"Some of these deaths are only being announced today as they have only recently been notified in the Ministry’s national reporting systems."
1pm - The Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC) will be providing an update on how Auckland's responding to the Omicron outbreak. You can watch that above. You may need to refresh your page.
12:55pm - Protesters who are trying to gain access to Wainuiomata Marae in Lower Hutt have been told they are not welcome and to go home.
It comes after residents flocked to the marae on Thursday to protect it from protesters who planned to set up camp there after being removed from Parliament.
Kokiri Marae general manager Tina Olsen-Ratana was at Wainuiōmata Marae on Friday. Olsen-Ratana told Newshub the protesters weren't welcome.
12:45pm - Police say they will begin removing the large concrete bollards from around Parliament on Friday now that the protest there is over.
"Access will be restored to the bus depot, Hill and Aitkin streets," a spokesperson said. "Lower Molesworth Street will remain cordoned off."
"There were no significant issues in or around the parliamentary precinct overnight.
"Police are aware of a group of people and vehicles moving between Mahanga Bay and Wainuiomata, and are monitoring the situation.
"There have now been a total of 102 arrests relating to Wednesday’s operation.
The investigation phase is now underway and Wellingtonians can continue to expect a highly-visible Police presence in the central city today and over the weekend."
12:40pm - There's currently a long line for tests at the Balmoral, Auckland site. These photos show cars queued up to get a test. The line is about two blocks long.
12:35pm - Here's a summary of New Zealand's COVID-19 outbreak including data released on Thursday:
12:30pm - At midnight on Friday, Kiwis from around the world can return to Aotearoa without having to enter MIQ or self-isolate. That step of New Zealand's reopening plan was initially meant to happen later in March, but has been brought forward.
"We are able to take these decisions because we have a highly vaccinated population and good public health restrictions through the COVID-19 Protection Framework in place," Chris Hipkins said on Monday.
It means Kiwis can arrive back in the country and immediately reconnect with others without having to spend a period isolating.
"Travellers will still be required to have a negative pre-departure test, and undertake two rapid antigen tests on arrival and at day 5/6. If anyone returns a positive result they will be required to report it and isolate for the same period as a community case," Hipkins said.
"Returnees are also asked to follow up their positive rapid antigen test with a PCR test, so that we can run whole genome sequencing and determine the variant. This will ensure that we can still keep tabs on any emerging variants and isolate cases as needed."
12:20pm - Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live updates of the COVID-19 outbreak for Friday.
We are currently awaiting the Ministry of Health's daily update and will bring that to you as soon as it arrives.
