Today, the Ministry of Health is reporting 11,063 new community Covid cases.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says the number they focus on is the seven-day rolling average, which is now below 10,000 for the first time in a long time.

The seven-day rolling average is now 9731.

Last Tuesday it was 12,785.

There are 622 people in hospital with Covid-19, 23 of these people are in ICU/HDU.

Sadly, there are 16 additional deaths associated with the virus.

Today's reported deaths bring the total associated with the outbreak to 516.

The deaths of all 16 people were reported in the past 24 hours, says the Ministry of Health.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, six were from the Auckland region, one was from Waikato, two were from Whanganui, one was from MidCentral, three were from the Wellington region, two were from Canterbury and one was from Southern.

One person was aged in their 30s, two were aged in their 50s, three in their 70s, six in their 80s, and four were over 90.

Five were female and 11 were male.

"This is a very sad time for whānau and friends and our thoughts are with them. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment."

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,025,980 first doses; 3,976,162 second doses; 31,582 third primary doses; 2,606,617 booster doses: 260,219 paediatric first doses and 101,448 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 47 first doses; 137 second doses; 21 third primary doses; 1,640 booster doses; 68 paediatric first doses and 834 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,055,826 first dose (96.4%); 4,005,406 second dose (95.2%), 2,603,933 boosted (72.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,679 first dose (91.2%); 503,540 second dose (88.2%), 231,936 boosted (57.2% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,706 first dose (98.3%); 276,732 second dose (96.5%), 138,321 boosted (59.3% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 257,866 first dose (54.1%); 99,164 second dose (20.8%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,617 first dose (35.1%); 11,274 second dose (9.8%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,379 first dose (47.3%); 5,465 second dose (11.1%)

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 (69.5%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.2%); boosted (71.5%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (68.4%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (67.6%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (68.2%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (68%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (73.3%)
• Hawke's Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (71.7%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (69.8%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95%); boosted (74.6%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (81.2%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (76.8%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (75.2%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (73.1%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (75.9%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (76.3%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); 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 622: Northland: 29; Waitemata: 99; Counties Manukau: 100; Auckland: 90; Waikato: 63; Bay of Plenty: 35; Lakes: 7; Tairāwhiti: 3; Hawke's Bay: 19; Taranaki: 11; Whanganui: 10; MidCentral: 26; Wairarapa: 3; Hutt Valley: 16; Capital and Coast: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 13; Canterbury: 47; South Canterbury: 6; West Coast: 1; Southern: 29
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 58
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 23
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (31 cases / 10%); partially immunised

*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: 9,731
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 12,785
• Number of new community cases: 11,063
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 203
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 10,860
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (559), Auckland (1,984), Waikato (965), Bay of Plenty (536), Lakes (214), Hawke's Bay (474), MidCentral (534), Whanganui (225), Taranaki (370), Tairāwhiti (111), Wairarapa (137, Capital and Coast (683), Hutt Valley (355), Nelson Marlborough (404), Canterbury (1,813), South Canterbury (250), Southern (1,331), West Coast (108), Unknown (10)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 47
• Number of active community cases (total): 68,096 cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 784,285

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): 1,885
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 10,860
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,951
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 8 April 2022): 3.7 million.