7,627 community cases; 827 hospitalisations; 24 in ICU

Today we are reporting 7,627 community cases, and 827 current hospitalisations. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 7,776

There are now a total of 1,455 deaths confirmed as attributable to COVID-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor. The seven-day rolling average of the increase in deaths attributable to COVID-19 is now 18.

COVID-19 Hospitalisations

• COVID-19 cases in hospital: total number 827: Northland: 18; Waitematā: 126; Counties Manukau: 55; Auckland: 100; Waikato: 88; Bay of Plenty: 34; Lakes: 19; Hawke’s Bay: 43; MidCentral: 56; Whanganui: 15; Taranaki: 15; Tairāwhiti: 4; Wairarapa: 11; Capital and Coast: 25; Hutt Valley: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 17; Canterbury: 127; West Coast: 1; South Canterbury: 14; Southern: 44. 
• Weekly COVID-19 Hospitalisations - 7 day rolling average: 790 (This time last week 766) 
• Average age of current COVID-19 hospitalisations: 65 
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 24
• Vaccination status of new admissions to hospital*: Unvaccinated or not eligible (67 cases); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (5 cases); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (78 cases); received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (411 cases). 

*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, Southern, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Capital, Coast and Hutt, and Northland. 

COVID-19 vaccinations administered

• Vaccines administered to date: 4,029,143 first doses; 3,981,967 second doses; 33,983 third primary doses; 2,703,819 first booster doses: 284,768 second booster doses: 265,822 paediatric first doses and 144,247 paediatric second doses  
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 20 first doses; 43 second doses; 27 third primary doses; 752 first booster doses; 11,455 second booster doses; 30 paediatric first doses and 169 paediatric second doses  
• More detailed information, including vaccine uptake by District, is available on the Ministry website. 

Tests

• Number of PCR tests total (last 24 hours): 8,029
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests reported total (last 24 hours): 15,345 
• PCR tests rolling average (last 7 days): 3,968
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests dispatched (last seven days as of 25 July 2022): 2 million.

COVID-19 Cases

• Total number of new community cases: 7,627
• Number of new cases that have recently travelled overseas: 312
• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 7,776
• Seven day rolling average of community cases (as at same day last week): 9,161
• Number of active cases (total): 54,409 (cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 1,585,215
• 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. 

Winter illness update

(This update is provided each Thursday)

• Of the 81 people in Auckland and Counties Manukau hospitals for SARI illnesses (severe acute respiratory infection) COVID-19 was the cause the infection for 7%, Human Metapneumovirus was the cause for 17% and Influenza was the cause for 1%
• Other causes of infection, where known, were rhinoviruses, enteroviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza virus and RSV (6%).
• The current rate of hospitalisations in Auckland and Counties Manukau is in line with rates seen in pre-COVID-19 years.

COVID-19 deaths

There are now a total of 1,455 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 18 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. 

COVID-19 case data

These newly reported deaths have not yet been categorised as to whether they are attributable to COVID-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor, or are unrelated to COVID-19. As this categorisation is made over coming days, the attributable deaths will be added to the total reported above.