The Ministry of Health has announced a slight decline in COVID-19 case numbers on Sunday, with 5662 infections reported and 490 people in hospital.
Another nine COVID deaths were also reported. That count included people who had died in the past nine days.
There were no new cases of the new Omicron XE variant on Sunday after an infected person who travelled from overseas to New Zealand, arriving on April 19, tested positive for the variant.
Sunday was the fourth straight day COVID cases have declined in New Zealand while hospitalisations also dropped for the fifth consecutive day.
Hospitislations dropped to 490 on Sunday - the lowest it's been since March 2 - while there are 20 people in ICU.
What you need to know:
- All of New Zealand is at orange in the COVID Protection Framework.
- New Zealand recorded 5662 new community COVID cases on Sunday.
- There are no new cases of the new Omicron XE variant on Sunday after New Zealand recorded its first cases of XE on Saturday.
- Nine additional deaths of people with COVID-19 were reported.
- There are 490 people in hospital, 20 of whom are in ICU.
- Location of community cases: Northland (203), Auckland (1,455), Waikato (365), Bay of Plenty (223), Lakes (85), Hawke’s Bay (187), MidCentral (196), Whanganui (68), Taranaki (152), Tairāwhiti (50), Wairarapa (53), Capital and Coast (355), Hutt Valley (191), Nelson Marlborough (224), Canterbury (978), South Canterbury (128), Southern (666), West Coast (81), Unknown (2).
- Locations of hospitalisations: Northland: 37; Waitemata: 76; Counties Manukau: 70; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 41; Bay of Plenty: 20; Lakes: 6; Tairāwhiti: 2, Hawke’s Bay: 8; Taranaki: 11; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 15; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 58; South Canterbury: 7; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25.
These live updates are now over.
1:07pm - Here is the latest data from the Ministry of Health on the outbreak and vaccination campaign:
Vaccinations administered in New Zealand
- Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,402 first doses; 3,977,415 second doses; 31,723 third primary doses; 2,621,445 booster doses: 260,942 paediatric first doses and 110,013 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 24 first doses; 78 second doses; 4 third primary doses; 1,202 booster doses; 87 paediatric first doses and 975 paediatric second doses
People vaccinated
- All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,236 first dose (96.4%); 4,006,634 second dose (95.2%), 2,618,037 boosted (71.2% of those eligible)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,915 first dose (91.2%); 503,899 second dose (88.2%), 233,573 boosted (55.1% of those eligible)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,803 first dose (98.3%); 276,886 second dose (96.6%), 139,247 boosted (57.3% of those eligible)
- 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,332 first dose (54.2%); 107,456 second dose (22.6%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,724 first dose (35.2%); 12,183 second dose (10.5%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,419 first dose (47.4%); 6,021 second dose (12.2%)
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 (67.9%)
- Auckland DHB: first dose (99.2%); second dose (98.3%); boosted (72.9%)
- Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (66%)
- Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.8%)
- Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66.8%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (66.3%)
- Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (66.6%)
- MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.3%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91%); boosted (66%)
- Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.7%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70%)
- Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (68.3%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95%); boosted (73.1%)
- Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.5%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (75.1%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.6%)
- West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (71.9%)
- Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (74.7%)
- South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.7%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.7%)
- Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.3%)
*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.
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 490: Northland: 37; Waitemata: 76; Counties Manukau: 70; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 41; Bay of Plenty: 20; Lakes: 6; Tairāwhiti: 2, Hawke’s Bay: 8; Taranaki: 11; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 15; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 58; South Canterbury: 7; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25
- Average age of current hospitalisations: 60
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 20
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (47 cases / 18%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (8 cases / 3%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (68 cases / 26%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (127 cases / 49%); unknown (7 cases / 3%).
Cases
- Seven day rolling average of community cases: 8,435
- Seven day rolling average (as at Sunday last week): 8,170
- Number of new community cases: 5,662
- Number of new community cases (PCR): 129
- Number of new community cases (RAT): 5,533
- Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (203), Auckland (1,455), Waikato (365), Bay of Plenty (223), Lakes (85), Hawke’s Bay (187), MidCentral (196), Whanganui (68), Taranaki (152), Tairāwhiti (50), Wairarapa (53), Capital and Coast (355), Hutt Valley (191), Nelson Marlborough (224), Canterbury (978), South Canterbury (128), Southern (666), West Coast (81), Unknown (2)
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 44
- Number of active community cases (total): 59,018 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 881,481
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): 1,568
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 10,126
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,103
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 22 April 2022): 629,000. (Please note that this number is not updated over the weekend and reflects the number of tests as of Friday).
1:05pm - The Ministry of Health has provided a COVID reminder for the ANZAC weekend:
If you are travelling this ANZAC weekend, you should have plans in place in the event you contract COVID-19 or are identified as a household contact of a case.
You would need to self-isolate and likely remain wherever you test positive or become a household contact, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for additional accommodation and changing your travel plans.
If you have used your own vehicle to travel, you can travel back to your home to isolate, taking public health measures to ensure you don’t infect anyone on your way home – such as maintaining physical distance and using self-service petrol stations
However, if you have used public transport or travelled between islands, you won’t be able to isolate at your home. So it is important you have a plan and the ability to isolate where you are holidaying, if you need to do so.
There are three actions everyone can do to help protect themselves and others this long weekend.
Firstly – be up to date with vaccinations, including a booster if you’ve not yet had one. If you are planning to be away, get boosted before you go.
Secondly – wear a mask. Masks are still required in many indoor settings. A good rule of thumb is to wear a mask in indoor public settings as we know that mask use halves the risk of spread of COVID-19. You must also wear a face mask on all flights and public transport, in taxi and ride-share services — unless you are exempt.
And thirdly – stay home and avoid others if you’re unwell, isolating or waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test.
For guidance if you or someone you know tests positive or becomes a household contact, visit the Ministry of Health website.
For more information on mask use at Orange, visit the Unite Against COVID-19 website.
1:04pm - The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the COVID-19 related deaths:
Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of nine people with COVID-19. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the past nine 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 674 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13.
Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, one person was from the Auckland region; one from Waikato; two from Bay of Plenty; one from Lakes; one from Nelson-Marlborough; and three from the Canterbury region.
One person was in their 50s; one in their 60s; one in their 70s; one in their 80s and five people were over 90.
Four were male and five were female.
This is a very sad time for whanau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them.
Out of respect we will be making no further comment.
1:03pm - The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the border case with Omicron XE variant:
New Zealand’s first known detection of the Omicron XE variant was reported yesterday.
XE has been spreading overseas and its arrival in New Zealand is not unexpected. At this stage, the public health settings already in place to manage other Omicron variants are assessed to be appropriate for managing XE and no changes are required.
XE is a combination of BA.1 and BA.2 sub variants of Omicron. There is some early evidence that it may be slightly more transmissible than BA.2, which is more transmissible than BA.1.
There is no evidence to date that XE causes more severe disease than other Omicron lineages, noting that it takes weeks or months to identify the severity of each new variant.
1:01pm - The Ministry of Health has revealed COVID cases have dropped in New Zealand with 5662 new infections and 490 people in hospital.
The health ministry also said nine have died with COVID-19 on Sunday taking the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 674 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13.
Of the new community cases, Northland (203), Auckland (1,455), Waikato (365), Bay of Plenty (223), Lakes (85), Hawke’s Bay (187), MidCentral (196), Whanganui (68), Taranaki (152), Tairāwhiti (50), Wairarapa (53), Capital and Coast (355), Hutt Valley (191), Nelson Marlborough (224), Canterbury (978), South Canterbury (128), Southern (666), West Coast (81), Unknown (2)
The ministry announced there are 490 people in hospital with 20 in ICU or HDU.
Of the 490 people in hospital: Northland: 37; Waitemata: 76; Counties Manukau: 70; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 41; Bay of Plenty: 20; Lakes: 6; Tairāwhiti: 2, Hawke’s Bay: 8; Taranaki: 11; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 15; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 58; South Canterbury: 7; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25
There are 44 new COVID cases recorded at the border in Managed Isolation and Quarantine.
12:53pm - There is no press conference planned for Sunday so we are just waiting on a statement with all the data. We'll bring that to you the moment we get it.
12:45pm - An epidemiologist says it is still unclear whether the new COVID-19 variant is more transmissible than Omicron.
The XE variant - which is a blend of both Omicron variants - has been confirmed in New Zealand after an international arrival tested positive for it.
The Ministry of Health said the person arrived on 19 April and was tested on 20 April and whole genome testing subsequently confirmed the XE variant. They are now isolating at home.
The ministry said at this stage the existing public health settings are appropriate for managing XE.
Read the full story here.
12:35pm - Here's the most recent information provided by the Ministry of Health about what the COVID-19 situation looked like after Saturday's figures:
12:30pm - Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live updates of the COVID-19 outbreak for Sunday.
