Today the Ministry of Health are reporting 4,540 community cases and 473 current hospitalisations.

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 3,928 – last Thursday, it was 4,750.

The seven-day rolling average of hospitalisations is 527 – last Thursday, it was 617.

"There are now a total of 1,807 deaths confirmed as attributable to COVID-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor. The seven-day rolling average increase in total deaths attributable to COVID-19 is now 12," says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

COVID-19 hospitalisations

• COVID-19 Cases in hospital: total number 473: Northland: 17; Waitematā: 64; Counties Manukau: 54; Auckland: 57; Waikato: 74; Bay of Plenty: 15; Lakes: 12; Hawke's Bay: 22; MidCentral: 21; Whanganui: 5; Taranaki: 9; Tairawhiti: 1; Wairarapa: 8; Capital & Coast 14; Hutt Valley: 11; Nelson Marlborough: 7; Canterbury 56; West Coast: 4; South Canterbury: 8; Southern: 14.
• Weekly COVID-19 Hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 527 (This time last week 617)
• Average age of current COVID-19 hospitalisations: 64
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 10
• Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital*: Unvaccinated or not eligible (49 cases); partially immunised

*These are new hospital admissions in the past 7 days prior to yesterday who had COVID at the time of admission or while in hospital, excluding hospitalisations that were admitted and discharged within 24hrs. This data is from Districts with tertiary hospitals: Auckland, Canterbury/West Coast, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital & Coast/Hutt, Waitemata and Northland.

COVID-19 vaccinations administered

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,029,575 first doses; 3,982,517 second doses; 34,026 third primary doses; 2,715,349 first booster doses: 441,245 second booster doses: 266,494 paediatric first doses and 147,103 paediatric second doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 24 first doses; 24 second doses; 11 third primary doses; 500 first booster doses; 7,946 second booster doses; 23 paediatric first doses and 92 paediatric second doses

More detailed information, including vaccine uptake by District, is available on the Ministry's website.

Tests

• Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 3,846
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 10,688
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,201
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched: 700,000 (last seven days as of 17 August 2022): 0.5M

COVID-19 cases

• Total number of new community cases: 4,540
• Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 164
• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 3,928
• Seven day rolling average of community cases (as at same day last week): 4,752
• Number of active cases (total): 27,487 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 1,690,553
• New cases by District and other more detailed case information

Please note, the Ministry of Health's daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a District 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.

COVID-19 deaths

"There are now a total of 1,807 deaths confirmed as attributable to COVID-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor. This is the number that will be reported to the World Health Organization as it provides the most accurate assessment of COVID-19 related mortality in New Zealand.

"In the past seven days there have been an average of 12 deaths confirmed each day as being attributable to COVID-19. This is a very sad time for whānau and friends of those who have died and our thoughts and condolences are with them.

"Information on the number of new deaths of people with COVID-19 reported to the Ministry of Health in the last 24 hours, and the seven-day rolling average, is available on the Ministry of Health website. This includes information on the age band and location of these newly reported deaths."

Winter illness update

• In the week to 14 August, 86 people were in Auckland and Counties Manukau hospitals for SARI illnesses (severe acute respiratory infection). Human Metapneumovirus was detected in 69% of those tested, rhinovirus in 28%, COVID-19 in 14%, and Influenza in 4%.
• Other causes of infection, where known, were enteroviruses, adenoviruses, RSV, parainfluenza virus and RSV.
• The current rate of hospitalisations in Auckland and Counties Manukau is in line with rates seen in pre-COVID-19 years.