Further information on deaths associated with COVID-19

News article

30 November 2021

The Ministry of Health is releasing further information on deaths associated with COVID-19.

COVID-19 deaths includes all cases that died who were classified as an active case of COVID-19 at the time of death. In some of these cases, the underlying cause of death may have been unrelated to COVID-19.

The Ministry’s clinical criteria for reporting a COVID-19 death will continue to be guided by the World Health Organization’s definition for deaths due to COVID-19. 

Deaths being investigated by the Coroner will remain under investigation until the Coroner’s finding has been determined. The Ministry will report this information daily on its website. This reflects that it can take some time for the Coroner to determine their findings, as well as formal notification processes carried out by the DHB.

As of 9am 25 November, 41 individuals have died who having COVID-19, and 30 of these deaths are classified as due to COVID-19, one death was not due to COVID-19, and the cause of death of the remaining ten has not been finalised. This data will be updated as privacy provisions allow to ensure personal information, is not personally identifiable.

There is clear evidence that COVID-19 vaccination both keeps people out of hospital and keeps them from dying. A British Medical Journal study reported last month, based on research carried out in Scotland, that Pfizer vaccine was 90% effective in preventing death from COVID-19 where most infections were caused by the Delta variant.

All of the tables refer to deaths associated with the current outbreak, except the comorbidities table, which uses data for all COVID-19 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

The vaccination categories are based on when cases could be classified as fully immunised. ‘Fully vaccinated’ is defined as having two doses 7 days prior to being reported as a case. Cases who received their second dose less than 7 days prior to being reported as a case are defined as ‘partially vaccinated’, along with people who have received one dose.

Vaccine status

Deaths

Fully vaccinated 

4

Not vaccinated

11

Partially vaccinated

3

Total

18

Age group

Deaths

40 to 49

4

50 to 59

4

60 to 69

2

70 to 79

1

80 to 89

4

90 to 99

3

Total

18

Prioritised Ethnicity

Deaths

Asian

2

European or Other

6

Maori

7

Pacific Peoples

3

Total

18

Pre-existing condition

Deaths in cases with pre-existing condition

Cardiovascular disease

9

Chronic lung disease

6

Diabetes

6

Immunodeficiency

0

Liver disease

0

Malignancy

1

Neurological or neuromuscular disease

4

Other underlying condition

8

Post Partum (less than 6 weeks)

0

Pregnancy

0

Renal failure

2

Back to top