Today, the Ministry of Health is reporting 9,563 community cases of Covid-19, 528 hospitalisations and 16 deaths.

There are 410 new cases in the Bay of Plenty and 185 cases in the Lakes district.

The seven-day rolling average of case numbers continues to decline, with today's seven-day rolling average at 8,990 – last Thursday it was 11,791.

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 16 people with COVID-19. These deaths all occurred over the past 13 days, including 12 in the past two days.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 to 547 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13.

Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, five were from the Auckland region, four from Waikato, two from Bay of Plenty, one from Lakes DHB area, one from MidCentral, one from Whanganui, and two from Canterbury.

Two people were aged in their 60s, six in their 70s, four in their 80s, and four over 90.

Nine were female and seven 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.

Easter weekend reminder

We are reminding you that if you are going away this Easter weekend, you should have plans in place in the event you contract COVID-19 or are identified as a household contact of a case.

You would need to self-isolate and likely remain wherever you test positive or become a household contact, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for additional accommodation and changing your travel plans.

If you have used your own vehicle to travel, you can travel back to your home to isolate, taking public health measures to ensure you don't infect anyone on your way home – such as maintaining social distance and using self-service petrol stations.

However, if you have used public transport or travelled between islands, you won't be able to isolate at your home. So it is important you have a plan and the ability to isolate where you are holidaying, if you need to do so.

There are three actions everyone can do to help protect themselves and others this Easter weekend.

Firstly – be up to date with vaccinations, including a booster if you've not yet had one. If you are planning to be away this long weekend, get boosted before you go.

Secondly – wear a mask. Masks are still required in many indoor settings. A good rule of thumb is to wear a mask in indoor public settings as we know that mask use halves the risk of spread of COVID-19. You must also wear a face mask on all flights and public transport, in taxi and ride-share services — unless you are exempt.

And thirdly – stay home and avoid others if you're unwell, isolating or waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test.

For guidance if you or someone you know tests positive or becomes a household contact, visit the Ministry of Health website.

For more information on mask use at Orange, visit the Unite Against COVID-19 website.

COVID-19 updates over Easter weekend

Over this Easter weekend, there will be regular COVID-19 updates published and tweeted daily, apart from tomorrow - Friday 15 April. The Ministry's 1pm statement on Saturday 16 April will include data for the prior 48 hours.

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,092 first doses; 3,976,509 second doses; 31,647 third primary doses; 2,610,047 booster doses: 260,338 paediatric first doses and 102,984 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 56 first doses; 173 second doses; 29 third primary doses; 1,690 booster doses; 53 paediatric first doses and 779 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,002 first dose (96.4%); 4,005,808 second dose (95.2%), 2,607,198 boosted (71.7% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,764 first dose (91.2%); 503,675 second dose (88.2%), 232,360 boosted (56.1% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,732 first dose (98.3%); 276,770 second dose (96.5%), 138,517 boosted (57.9% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 257,942 first dose (54.2%); 100,653 second dose (21.1%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,634 first dose (35.2%); 11,502 second dose (10%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,383 first dose (47.3%); 5,549 second dose (11.2%)
• 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 (68.6%)
• Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (96.2%); boosted (70.2%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (67.3%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (66.9%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (67.3%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91%); boosted (66.7%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (72.4%)
• Hawke's Bay DHB: first dose (97.1%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (70.7%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (68.9%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95%); boosted (73.7%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (80%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (75.8%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (74.2%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (72.5%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (75.2%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.8%); second dose (93.8%); boosted (75.4%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.8%)

*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 528: Northland: 37; Waitemata: 84; Counties Manukau: 90; Auckland: 84; Waikato: 43; Bay of Plenty: 17; Lakes: 9; Tairāwhiti: 2; Hawke's Bay: 11; Taranaki: 7; Whanganui: 4; MidCentral: 22; Wairarapa: 1; Hutt Valley: 25; Capital and Coast: 7; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 42; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 32
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 57
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 28
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (58 cases / 20%); 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: 8,990
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 11,791
• Number of new community cases: 9,563
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 297
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 9,266

• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (476), Auckland (1,903), Waikato (744), Bay of Plenty (410), Lakes (185), Hawke's Bay (357), MidCentral (415), Whanganui (202), Taranaki (314), Tairāwhiti (78), Wairarapa (107), Capital and Coast (650), Hutt Valley (382) Nelson Marlborough (329), Canterbury (1,617), South Canterbury (199), Southern (1,089), West Coast (103), Unknown (3)

• Number of new cases identified at the border: 61
• Number of active community cases (total): 62,913 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 803,269

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): 5,224
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 19,880
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 2,607
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 14 April 2022): 3.2 million