UPDATE: Today, the Ministry of Health is reporting 20,989 new community cases, 856 people in hospital with the virus, and seven additional Covid-19 related deaths.

This is highest number of deaths reported in a single day since the start of the pandemic and is a reminder that the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus can still cause serious illness and/or death either directly or by its impact on other health conditions.

"Getting vaccinated and boosted will help to keep you out of hospital if you catch COVID-19 and could save your life," says an MOH spokesperson.

"Covid-19 related deaths can lag behind a rise in cases and hospitalisations and an increase in deaths was not unexpected given the high number of cases over the past two weeks

"However, it important to remember that each of these deaths represents significant loss for family and loved ones. Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with all their families and friends at this sad time."

DHBs have been planning and preparing for managing Covid-19 and the higher number of cases in the community, including managing more people in hospital.

"Our hospitals and their dedicated staff members continue to do what's needed to make sure everyone gets the treatment they need.

"DHBs have the flexibility to change their operations to respond to sharp increases in Covid-19 case numbers."

Covid-19 related deaths

Of these deaths reported above, five occurred in the Auckland region, one in Waikato, and one in the Southern region.

The total number of publicly reported Covid-19 related deaths to date is now 98.

"Of the people who have died that we are announcing today, one person was in their fifties, four were in their 70s, one was their 80s, and one person was in their 90s. Four were male and three were female.

"Out of respect for affected families, we will be making no further comment."

See below for a full breakdown of today's numbers.

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,022,346 first doses; 3,967,353 second doses; 34,164 third primary doses; 2,496,823 booster doses: 252,273 paediatric first doses and 6,342 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 213 first doses; 748 second doses; 53 third primary doses; 7,863 booster doses; 686 paediatric first doses and 299 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,067,971 first dose (96.6%); 4,010,167 second dose (95.3%), 2,498,467 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,707 first dose (91.2%); 501,569 second dose (87.8%), 218,173 boosted (59.7% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,507 first dose (98.2%); 275,825 second dose (96.2%), 130,079 boosted (59.5% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 252,073 first dose (52.9%); 6,230 second dose (1.3%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 38,794 first dose (33.6%); 1,017 second dose (0.9%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 22,448 first dose (45.4%); 715 second dose (1.4%)

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 (90.5%); second dose (88.1%); boosted (70.2%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (96.2%); boosted (70.5%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (68.5%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (69.2%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.7%); second dose (91.7%); boosted (69.4%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (74.9%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.5%); second dose (91.1%); boosted (70%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.5%); second dose (90.7%); boosted (74.5%)
• Hawke's Bay DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (72.8%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (70%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.6%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.8%); second dose (98%); boosted (81.1%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.8%); boosted (77.3%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (97%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.3%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (74.5%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (100%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (75.3%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.3%); boosted (76.7%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.3%); second dose (97.1%); boosted (75.1%)

*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 856: Northland: 13; North Shore: 173; Middlemore: 204; Auckland: 211; Waikato: 74; BOP: 21; Lakes: 11; Tairāwhiti: 1, Hawke's Bay: 18; Taranaki: 10; MidCentral: 16; Whanganui: 5; Hutt Valley: 22; Capital and Coast: 38; Wairarapa: 4; Nelson Marlborough: 3; Canterbury: 20; Southern: 12.
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 20
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (101 cases / 18.7%); partially immunised

*While still early in the Omicron outbreak, the figures show that just over 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, 19% have had no doses of the vaccine.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 19,866
• Number of new community cases: 20,989
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 669
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 20,320
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (765), Auckland (7,240), Waikato (1,941), Bay of Plenty (1,352), Lakes (510), Hawke's Bay (855), MidCentral (682), Whanganui (188), Taranaki (519), Tairāwhiti (330), Wairarapa (174), Capital and Coast (1,746), Hutt Valley (1,044), Nelson Marlborough (443), Canterbury (2,160), South Canterbury (136), Southern (878), West Coast (22); Unknown (4)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 23
• Number of active community cases (total): 209,754 (cases identified in the past 10 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 327,925

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): 4,614
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days up to 03/03): 6,106
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days): 13.4 million

EARLIER:

Seven more people with Covid-19 have died in New Zealand, with 20,989 new community cases reported today.

The seven deaths reported today - the highest number of daily deaths New Zealand has seen in this outbreak - include five in Auckland, one in Waikato, and one in the Southern region.

The number of people in hospital has risen to a record 856 people, with 20 in ICU, including 10 in Auckland.

There were 21,015 cases reported in the community yesterday and 773 people were in hospital with Covid-19, the Ministry of Health said.

Yesterday also saw a change in how Covid-19-related deaths were being reported.

Deaths are now automatically reported if a person dies within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test result, and will be broken into three categories:

• Where Covid-19 is the clear cause of death
• Where a person is found to have had Covid-19 when they died but it was not the cause of death
• When a person is known to have had Covid-19 when they died but their cause of death is not known

The self-isolation period for Covid-19 positive cases and their household contacts reduces to seven days from 11.59pm tonight.