The Ministry of Health has reported 11,217 new community cases, 547 hospitalisations - 14 of whom are in ICU - and 13 deaths.
There was a delay to most of the data being released due to an IT network issue.
What you need to know:
- All of New Zealand is at orange in the COVID Protection Framework.
- New Zealand recorded 11,217 new community COVID cases on Wednesday.
- Thirteen additional deaths of people with COVID-19 were reported.
- Location of community cases: Northland (528), Waitemata (948), Auckland (762), Counties Manukau (793), Waikato (819), Bay of Plenty (482), Lakes (208), Hawke’s Bay (365), MidCentral (456), Whanganui (186), Taranaki (354), Tairāwhiti (116), Wairarapa (98), Capital and Coast (698), Hutt Valley (359), Nelson Marlborough (341), Canterbury (1,855), South Canterbury (289), Southern (1,410), West Coast (142), Unknown (8).
- Locations of 547 hospitalisations: Northland: 41; Waitemata: 92; Counties Manukau: 82; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 38; Bay of Plenty: 22; Lakes: 7; Tairāwhiti: 0; Hawke’s Bay: 17; Taranaki: 9; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 12; Wairarapa: 4; Hutt Valley: 18; Capital and Coast: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 9; Canterbury: 49; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 40.
4:45pm - We've just had the COVID-19 numbers come in. Here's the full statement from the Ministry of Health:
The IT network issue that affected reporting of most of our data earlier today has now been resolved. The updated statement is below.
Today we are reporting 11,217 community cases and 13 deaths. There are 547 people in hospital and 14 people in ICU.
The seven-day rolling average of case numbers continues to decline, with today's seven-day rolling average at 7,834 – last Wednesday it was 9,288.
The number of reported community cases is expected to continue to fluctuate day to day, but the overall trend remains an overall reduction in reported cases.
COVID-19 deaths
Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 13 people with COVID-19. These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 615 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 12.
The ages of those people who have died were as follows: 1 person in their 40s; 2 in their 50s; 4 in their 60s; 3 in their 80s; and 3 in their 90s or older.
Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, their locations were: Nelson-Marlborough (1); Auckland (1); Hutt Valley (2); Northland (1); Hawkes Bay (1); Whanganui (2); Canterbury (2); Waitemata (1); Mid-Central (1); and Taranaki (1).
Five were female and eight were male.
This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts are with them.
Vaccinations administered in New Zealand
- Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,254 first doses; 3,976,935 second doses; 31,622 third primary doses; 2,615,407 booster doses: 260,586 paediatric first doses and 106,060 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 56 first doses; 142 second doses; 22 third primary doses; 1,800 booster doses; 75 paediatric first doses and 1,076 paediatric second doses
People vaccinated
- All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,061 first dose (96.4%); 4,006,127 second dose (95.2%), 2,612,261 boosted (71.2% of those eligible)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,821 first dose (91.2%); 503,748 second dose (88.2%), 232,914 boosted (55.3% of those eligible)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,763 first dose (98.3%); 276,817 second dose (96.6%), 138,805 boosted (57.3% of those eligible)
- 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,094 first dose (54.2%); 103,628 second dose (21.8%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,665 first dose (35.2%); 11,791 second dose (10.2%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,394 first dose (47.4%); 5,720 second dose (11.6%)
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 (88%); boosted (68%)
- 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 (66.9%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (66.4%)
- Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (66.8%)
- MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.4%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91%); boosted (66.2%)
- Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.8%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (70.1%)
- Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (68.4%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95%); boosted (73.3%)
- 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 (75.2%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.7%)
- 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 (94.8%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (74.8%)
- Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.4%)
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 547: Northland: 41; Waitemata: 92; Counties Manukau: 82; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 38; Bay of Plenty: 22; Lakes: 7; Tairāwhiti: 0; Hawke’s Bay: 17; Taranaki: 9; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 12; Wairarapa: 4; Hutt Valley: 18; Capital and Coast: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 9; Canterbury: 49; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 40.
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 14
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (54 cases / 18.56%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (7 / 2.41%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (74 / 25.43%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case 148 / 50.86%; Unknown 8 cases / 2.75%; Total 291, (100.00%).
- *Average age of current hospitalisations: 61
*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: 7,834
- Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 9,288
- Number of new community cases: 11,217
- Number of new community cases (PCR): 238
- Number of new community cases (RAT): 10,979
- Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (528), Waitemata (948), Auckland (762), Counties Manukau (793), Waikato (819), Bay of Plenty (482), Lakes (208), Hawke’s Bay (365), MidCentral (456), Whanganui (186), Taranaki (354), Tairāwhiti (116), Wairarapa (98), Capital and Coast (698), Hutt Valley (359), Nelson Marlborough (341), Canterbury (1,855), South Canterbury (289), Southern (1,410), West Coast (142), Unknown (8).
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 60
- Number of active community cases today (total): 54,809 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 848,371
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): 2,495
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 20,595
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,289
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 20 April 2022): 427,000 (please note, none were dispatched over the Easter long weekend)
1:10pm - We will bring you the COVID case numbers and all the other data as soon as it's released, but it's not clear yet when that will be.
1:05pm - Just in from the Ministry of Health:
Due to an IT network issue today, we are currently able to report on hospitalisations only. The statement will be updated as soon as the additional information becomes available.
Today we are reporting 547 people in hospital and 14 people in ICU.
Hospitalisations
- Cases in hospital: total number 547: Northland: 41; Waitemata: 92; Counties Manukau: 82; Auckland: 83; Waikato: 38; Bay of Plenty: 22; Lakes: 7; Tairāwhiti: 0; Hawke’s Bay: 17; Taranaki: 9; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 12; Wairarapa: 4; Hutt Valley: 18; Capital and Coast: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 9; Canterbury: 49; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 40.
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 14
1pm - We are now awaiting the statement from the Ministry of Health.
12:45pm - The Ministry of Health has released the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board's interim report. The board met between February 2021 and November 2021 to review and discuss the safety of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The key findings have previously been reported, but the full report is now out for the public to read.
Here's what the Ministry of Health said:
"During this period more than 7 million doses were administered. Almost 90% of the eligible population (12 years and older) had received two doses of the vaccine.
"Given the large proportion of the population being vaccinated in a relatively short period of time, it is understandable that there were a number of adverse events reported following vaccination. A number of events can also be expected to occur coincidentally in the period following vaccination.
"Of the reported adverse events, less than 5% are classified as serious. Of the 39,973 adverse events following immunisation reported during this time period, 1,593 serious cases were reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM).
"A serious adverse event following immunisaton (AEFI) is one that requires hospitalisation or prolongs existing hospitalisation, causes persistent or significant disability or incapacity, is life threatening, causes a congenital anomaly/birth defect, results in death or is a medically important event or reaction.
"The Board considered 18 safety signals (information on a new or known adverse event that may be caused by the vaccine and requires further investigation) which led to 28 recommendations to either Medsafe or the Ministry of Health.
"Out of the 18 safety signals for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, only one has been confirmed in New Zealand, with myocarditis and pericarditis identified as very rare adverse reactions to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
"The Board has been reassured by both the international and New Zealand data presented, that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is a very safe vaccine."
12:35pm - Here's what the COVID-19 situation looks like when taking into account Tuesday's data:
12:30pm - Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live updates for Wednesday.
There is no press conference planned for Wednesday. Instead, the Ministry of Health will release a statement with the latest data. We will bring that to you as soon as it arrives.
