A new COVID-19 Omicron subvariant has been detected in New Zealand in a person returning from overseas.
They arrived in New Zealand from South Africa on April 22 and returned a positive rapid test the following day, and a positive PCR test two days later, health officials said.
"The person followed all testing and reporting requirements, allowing this new sub-variant to be identified quickly and has been isolating at home," the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Meanwhile, there was a drop in COVID-19 cases on Sunday for the fourth straight day with 5656 new infections and 466 hospitalisations reported.
Another six COVID-19 deaths were reported, which included people who had died over the previous three days.
What you need to know:
- All of New Zealand is at orange in the COVID Protection Framework.
- New Zealand recorded 5656 new community COVID cases on Sunday.
- Six additional deaths of people with COVID-19 were reported.
- There are 466 people in hospital, 16 of whom are in ICU.
- Location of community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (139), Auckland (606), Waikato (341), Bay of Plenty (175), Lakes (116), Hawke’s Bay (149), MidCentral (202), Whanganui (64), Taranaki (149), Tairāwhiti (99), Wairarapa (58), Capital and Coast (360), Hutt Valley (152), Nelson Marlborough (222), Canterbury (931), South Canterbury (118), Southern (625), West Coast (74), Unknown (6).
- Locations of hospitalisations: Northland: 29; Waitemata: 75; Counties Manukau: 64; Auckland: 97; Waikato: 37; Bay of Plenty: 19; Lakes: 2; Tairāwhiti: 1; Hawke’s Bay: 11; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 6; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 60; South Canterbury: 3; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25.
These live updates are now over.
1:12pm - 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: 4,026,607 first doses; 3,977,968 second doses; 31,788 third primary doses; 2,630,365 booster doses: 261,588 paediatric first doses and 116,171 paediatric second doses
- Vaccines administered yesterday: 26 first doses; 69 second doses; 11 third primary doses; 1,431 booster doses; 107 paediatric first doses and 1,127 paediatric second doses
People vaccinated
- All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,329 first dose (96.4%); 4,007,080 second dose (95.2%), 2,626,415 boosted (71% of those eligible)
- Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,026 first dose (91.2%); 504,054 second dose (88.3%), 234,511 boosted (54.7% of those eligible)
- Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,874 first dose (98.3%); 276,987 second dose (96.6%), 139,904 boosted (57% of those eligible)
- 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,808 first dose (54.3%); 113,430 second dose (23.8%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,802 first dose (35.3%); 12,841 second dose (11.1%)
- 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,489 first dose (47.6%); 6,496 second dose (13.2%)
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 (67.7%)
- Auckland DHB: first dose (99.2%); second dose (98.3%); boosted (73%)
- Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (65.9%)
- Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.8%)
- Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66.6%)
- Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (65.9%)
- Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (66.3%)
- MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.1%)
- Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91%); boosted (65.7%)
- Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.5%)
- Hawke’s Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (69.8%)
- Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (68.1%)
- Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95%); boosted (72.9%)
- Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.4%)
- Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (75%)
- Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.3%)
- West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (71.6%)
- Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (74.4%)
- South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.4%)
- Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.2%)
*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 466: Northland: 29; Waitemata: 75; Counties Manukau: 64; Auckland: 97; Waikato: 37; Bay of Plenty: 19; Lakes: 2; Tairāwhiti: 1; Hawke’s Bay: 11; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 6; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 60; South Canterbury: 3; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25
- *Average age of current hospitalisations: 60
- Cases in ICU or HDU: 16
- Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (41 cases / 16.14%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (5 cases / 1.97%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (75 cases / 29.53%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (125 cases / 49.21%); unknown (8 cases / 3.15%)
*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: 7,414
- Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 8,435
- Number of new community cases: 5,656
- Number of new community cases (PCR): 169
- Number of new community cases (RAT): 5,487
- Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (139), Auckland (606), Waikato (341), Bay of Plenty (175), Lakes (116), Hawke’s Bay (149), MidCentral (202), Whanganui (64), Taranaki (149), Tairāwhiti (99), Wairarapa (58), Capital and Coast (360), Hutt Valley (152), Nelson Marlborough (222), Canterbury (931), South Canterbury (118), Southern (625), West Coast (74), Unknown (6)
- Number of new cases identified at the border: 62
- Number of active community cases (total): 51,891 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
- Confirmed cases (total): 933,464
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): 2,523
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 10,430
- PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,218
- Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 29 April 2022): 1.4 million
1:11pm - The ministry has provided an update on the Omicron outbreak:
Today we are reporting 5,656 community cases, 466 hospitalisations and six deaths.
Today’s seven-day rolling average of case numbers is 7,414 – last Sunday it was 8,435.
1:09pm - The ministry has provided information about the border case with Omicron BA.4 variant:
A person who has travelled from overseas to New Zealand has been confirmed as having the BA.4 variant of Omicron. This is the first known detection of the variant in New Zealand.
The person arrived in New Zealand from South Africa on 22 April, returned a positive RAT the following day and a positive PCR test on 24 April. Whole genome sequencing was undertaken as part of ongoing border surveillance for emerging variants and subsequently confirmed the BA.4 variant.
The person followed all testing and reporting requirements, allowing this new sub-variant to be identified quickly, and has been isolating at home.
BA.4 has been reported in Southern Africa and Europe, and a case was reported in New South Wales a few days ago. The arrival of this sub-variant 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 BA.4 and no changes are required.
The BA.4 variant is one of the different Omicron subvariants being monitored by the World Health Organization.
There is no evidence to date that BA.4 is more transmissible or causes more severe disease than other Omicron lineages, in particular the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant that is causing the vast majority of infections in New Zealand. It can take weeks or months to identify the severity of each new variant or sub-variant, so the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the emerging evidence closely.
Two other sub-variants of Omicron – the BA.2.12.1 and the BA 2.12.2 have also been detected in two returnees for the first time in New Zealand from travellers arriving on 11 and 15 April. Neither sub-variant is currently regarded as being of concern.
1:08pm: The Ministry of Health has provided an update on the COVID-19 related deaths:
Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of six people with COVID-19. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the previous three days.
These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 750 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 11.
Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, one person was from Northland, one from Taranaki, two were from Waikato, and two from Canterbury.
Three were in their 70s and three were in their 80s.
Four were women and two were men.
Out of respect, we will be making no further comment.
1:07pm - The Ministry of Health has revealed COVID cases have dropped in New Zealand for the fourth consecutive day with 5656 new infections and 466 people in hospital.
The health ministry also said six people have died with COVID-19 on Sunday taking the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 50 and the 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 11.
The Health ministry also revelaled a border case with Omicron BA.4 variant has beend detected in New Zealand
Of the new community cases, Northland (139), Auckland (606), Waikato (341), Bay of Plenty (175), Lakes (116), Hawke’s Bay (149), MidCentral (202), Whanganui (64), Taranaki (149), Tairāwhiti (99), Wairarapa (58), Capital and Coast (360), Hutt Valley (152), Nelson Marlborough (222), Canterbury (931), South Canterbury (118), Southern (625), West Coast (74), Unknown (6)
The ministry announced there are 466 people in hospital with 16 in ICU or HDU.
Of the 466 people in hospital: Northland: 29; Waitemata: 75; Counties Manukau: 64; Auckland: 97; Waikato: 37; Bay of Plenty: 19; Lakes: 2; Tairāwhiti: 1; Hawke’s Bay: 11; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 5; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 6; Capital and Coast: 12; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 60; South Canterbury: 3; West Coast: 1; Southern: 25
There are 62 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 - New Zealand's border will reopen to international visitors at midnight on Sunday night for the first time in more than two years.
On March 19 2020, New Zealand snapped its border shut to anyone without citizenship or residency before any COVID-19-related deaths were recorded. It was the first time in our history such a move was made, with the ban also including those from the Pacific.
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.
