The Ministry of Health is reporting 8,810 new community cases of Covid-19, 690 hospitalisations and 18 deaths. There are 26 people in ICU with the virus.

There are 414 new community cases in Bay of Plenty and 226 in Lakes, with 39 people being cared for in Bay of Plenty hospitals and 13 in Lakes DHB hospitals.

There are 94,780 active community cases in total across New Zealand; these are cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered.

There have been 31 new cases identified at the border during the last 24 hour reporting period.

'Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 18 people with Covid-19,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the past five 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 396 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 20.

'Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, two were from Northland, seven from the Auckland region, three from Waikato, one from Whanganui, one from Hawke's Bay, one from the Wellington region, two from Canterbury, and one from Southern.”

One person was in their 30s, three in their 60s, eight in their 70s, three in their 80s, and three were over-90. Twelve were men and six were women.

'Out of respect, we will be making no further comment,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

The seven-day rolling average of case numbers continues to decline. Today's seven-day rolling average is 13,543, while the seven-day rolling average of cases as at last Sunday was 16,325.

'While it is encouraging to continue to see case numbers and the seven daily rolling average of cases drop, it's not unexpected as we generally see lower testing and reporting over weekends. It's also an important reminder to remain vigilant.”

My Vaccine Pass

From 11.59pm on Monday night, there is no requirement to use My Vaccine Pass.

Businesses will still be able to use the system if they would like to.

'As restrictions around the pass ease, it is important for people to continue to follow public health advice to stay at home; away from school or work if you're feeling unwell. Another way to protect you and your whanau is to get vaccinated if you haven't already done so,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'Please if you are due for a vaccination, whether it be a second shot or booster make an appointment today.

'There is a much lower risk of being hospitalised or developing severe illness if you are up to date with your vaccinations.”

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,727 first doses; 3,974,893 second doses; 34,381 third primary doses; 2,588,367 booster doses: 259,383 paediatric first doses and 89,410 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 75 first doses; 139 second doses; 8 third primary doses; 1,975 booster doses; 223 paediatric first doses and 3,872 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,055,356 first dose (96.3%); 4,002,823 second dose (95.1%), 2,586,290 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,406 first dose (91.1%); 502,946 second dose (88.1%), 229,678 boosted (57.5% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,565 first dose (98.2%); 276,432 second dose (96.4%), 136,875 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 257,344 first dose (54%); 87,438 second dose (18.4%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,426 first dose (35%); 9,761 second dose (8.4%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,303 first dose (47.2%); 4,709 second dose (9.5%)

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 (87.9%); boosted (69.4%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.1%); boosted (71.2%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (68.3%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (67.8%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (68.4%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.1%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (68.2%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (73.4%)
• Hawke's Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (71.9%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (70%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (74.7%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.1%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.8%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (75.4%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.3%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.7%); boosted (75.9%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.3%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.3%); second dose (97.2%); boosted (74.8%)

*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 690: Northland: 27; Waitemata: 106; Counties Manukau: 135; Auckland: 98; Waikato: 73; Bay of Plenty: 30; Lakes: 13; Tairāwhiti: 3, Hawke's Bay: 37; Taranaki: 19; Whanganui: 5; MidCentral: 22; Hutt Valley: 18; Capital and Coast: 14; Nelson Marlborough: 17; Canterbury: 44; Southern: 29
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 26
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (48 cases / 13%); partially immunised

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 13,543
• Seven day rolling average (as at Sunday last week): 16,325
• Number of new community cases: 8,810
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 186
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 8,624
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (385), Auckland (1,555), Waikato (729), Bay of Plenty (414), Lakes (226), Hawke's Bay (420), MidCentral (502), Whanganui (222), Taranaki (342), Tairāwhiti (102), Wairarapa (91), Capital and Coast (635), Hutt Valley (389), Nelson Marlborough (364), Canterbury (1,463), South Canterbury (172), Southern (735), West Coast (57), Unknown (7)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 31
• Number of active community cases (total): 94,780 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 691,742

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): 2,142
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 16,239
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,818
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 31/03/22): 6.2 million. (Please note that this number is not updated over the weekend and reflects the number of tests as of Friday).