The Ministry of Health is today reporting 7,043 new community cases of Covid-19, 468 hospitalisations and seven deaths. There are 15 people in ICU across New Zealand.

In the Bay of Plenty there are 256 new community cases, and 122 in the Lakes District Health Board region.

There are 12 people in Bay of Plenty hospitals and two in Lakes hospitals with Covid-19.

Covid-19 deaths

'Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of seven people with Covid -19,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. 'The deaths being reported today are for people who have died over the previous three 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 744 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 11.

'Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, one person was from Northland, one from the Auckland region, one from Waikato, one from MidCentral, two from Canterbury, and one from Southern.”

One was in their 60s, three in their 70s, two in their 80s, and one was over 90. Three were women and four were men.

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

The seven-day rolling average of case numbers today is 7,415 – a reduction from last Saturday, when it was 8,475.

'With ongoing community transmission across the motu, it is important we remain vigilant. That means continuing to follow public health advice to stay at home, away from school or work if you're feeling unwell,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'Another way to protect you, your whānau and friends is to get vaccinated, if you aren't already. It's free and available for everyone aged five and over.

'Vaccination remains our best defence against Covid-19 and a booster – in addition to first and second doses – gives you greater immunity against Omicron and severe illness. There's a much lower risk of being hospitalised if you're up to date with your Covid -19 vaccinations,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'So, if you or your whānau are due for a Covid -19 vaccination – whether it be a first or second dose or a booster – please, make an appointment today.”

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,582 first doses; 3,977,899 second doses; 31,776 third primary doses; 2,628,922 booster doses: 261,483 paediatric first doses and 115,042 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 33 first doses; 85 second doses; 23 third primary doses; 1,637 booster doses; 117 paediatric first doses and 1,147 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,270 first dose (96.4%); 4,006,976 second dose (95.2%), 2,624,983 boosted (71% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,009 first dose (91.2%); 504,027 second dose (88.3%), 234,336 boosted (54.7% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,860 first dose (98.3%); 276,964 second dose (96.6%), 139,661 boosted (56.9% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,732 first dose (54.3%); 112,331 second dose (23.6%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,778 first dose (35.3%); 12,692 second dose (11%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,470 first dose (47.5%); 6,356 second dose (12.9%)

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 (72.9%)
• Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (65.8%)
• Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.8%)
• Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66.5%)
• 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 (69.7%)
• 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 (74.9%)
• 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 (71.5%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (74.4%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.7%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.4%)
• Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.4%); boosted (73.1%)

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

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 468: Northland: 31; Waitemata: 75; Counties Manukau: 60; Auckland: 94; Waikato: 39; Bay of Plenty: 12; Lakes: 2; Tairāwhiti: 0; Hawke's Bay: 13; Taranaki: 5; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 8; Wairarapa: 0; Hutt Valley: 9; Capital and Coast: 11; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 64; South Canterbury: 3; West Coast: 2; Southern: 31
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 60
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 15
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (43 cases / 17.06%); 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: 7,415
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 8,475
• Number of new community cases: 7,043
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 199
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 6,844

• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (200), Auckland (1,989), Waikato (435), Bay of Plenty (266), Lakes (122), Hawke's Bay (191), MidCentral (273), Whanganui (89), Taranaki (193), Tairāwhiti (75), Wairarapa (70), Capital and Coast (436), Hutt Valley (193), Nelson Marlborough (287), Canterbury (1,203), South Canterbury (152), Southern (782), West Coast (85), Unknown (2)

• Number of new cases identified at the border: 76
• Number of active community cases (total): 51,892 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 927,762

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): 3,626
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 14,572
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,178
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 29 April 2022): 1.4 million