The Ministry of Health is today reporting 6,636 new community cases of Covid-19, 480 hospitalisations and seven deaths.

There are 215 new community cases in Bay of Plenty, and 105 in Lakes. Across New Zealand there are 12 people in ICU.

There are 26 people in Bay of Plenty hospitals and one in a Lakes hospital.

Covid-19 deaths

'Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of seven people with Covid-19. The deaths being reported today include people who have died over the previous two days,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 757 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 11.

'Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today, three people were from Auckland; one from Waikato; one from Bay of Plenty; one from Wairarapa and one from Canterbury.”

One person was in their 40s; one in their 50s; three in their 80s and two were aged over 90. Of these people, one was a woman and six were men.

'Out of respect, we will be making no further comment.”

Today's seven-day rolling average of case numbers is 7,553 – last Monday it was 8,355.

Border case with Omicron BA.4 variant

A second person who has travelled from overseas to New Zealand has been confirmed as having the BA.4 variant of Omicron.

Both identified cases are currently isolating at their homes.

BA.4 has been reported in southern Africa and Europe, and in New South Wales. The arrival of this sub-variant in New Zealand is not unexpected. At this stage, the public health settings already in place to manage other Omicron variants are assessed to be appropriate for managing BA.4 and no changes are required.

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,026,626 first doses; 3,977,986 second doses; 31,789 third primary doses; 2,630,828 booster doses: 261,619 paediatric first doses and 116,510 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 19 first doses; 15 second doses; 0 third primary doses; 458 booster doses; 31 paediatric first doses and 337 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

• All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,056,287 first dose (96.4%); 4,007,035 second dose (95.2%), 2,626,808 boosted (70.9% of those eligible)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,019 first dose (91.2%); 504,047 second dose (88.3%), 234,581 boosted (54.6% of those eligible)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,873 first dose (98.3%); 276,987 second dose (96.6%), 139,928 boosted (56.9% of those eligible)
• 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 258,827 first dose (54.3%); 113,756 second dose (23.9%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Māori: 40,807 first dose (35.3%); 12,915 second dose (11.2%)
• 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,492 first dose (47.6%); 6,512 second dose (13.2%).

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 (67.6%)
• 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 (70.7%)
• 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 (65.8%)
• Lakes DHB: first dose (93.2%); second dose (91.4%); boosted (66.2%)
• MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91%); boosted (65.8%)
• Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.9%); second dose (90.4%); boosted (71.4%)
• Hawke's Bay DHB: first dose (97.2%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (69.6%)
• Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.6%); second dose (93.3%); boosted (68%)
• Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95%); boosted (72.8%)
• Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.3%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.6%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (74.8%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (73.2%)
• West Coast DHB: first dose (92.7%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (71.4%)
• Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.7%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (74.3%)
• South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.7%); second dose (93.7%); boosted (74.3%)
• 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 or 16 and 17 year olds who have become eligible 6 months after having their second dose.

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: total number 480: Northland: 27; Waitemata: 78; Counties Manukau: 64; Auckland: 90; Waikato: 35; Bay of Plenty: 26; Lakes: 1; Tairāwhiti: 3; Hawke's Bay: 11; Taranaki: 4; Whanganui: 2; MidCentral: 9; Wairarapa: 2; Hutt Valley: 6; Capital and Coast: 11; Nelson Marlborough: 8; Canterbury: 74; South Canterbury: 4; West Coast: 1; Southern: 24
• *Average age of current hospitalisations: 59
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 12
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (41 cases / 16%); 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: 7,553
• Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 8,355
• Number of new community cases: 6,636
• Number of new community cases (PCR): 161
• Number of new community cases (RAT): 6,475
• Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (141), Auckland (1,956), Waikato (423), Bay of Plenty (215), Lakes (105), Hawke's Bay (167), MidCentral (266), Whanganui (68), Taranaki (206), Tairāwhiti (77), Wairarapa (71), Capital and Coast (419), Hutt Valley (179), Nelson Marlborough (275), Canterbury (1,120), South Canterbury (98), Southern (784), West Coast (63), Unknown (3)
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 90
• Number of active community cases (total): 52,860 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 940,151

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): 2,426
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 11,668
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,310
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last 7 days as of 2 May 2022): 1.6 million.