More than 56,000 boosters given yesterday; 306 community cases; 12 in hospital

The Big Boost Week is now in full swing with 56,257 booster doses administered across New Zealand yesterday, bringing the total so far to more than 1.7 million.

With Omicron in New Zealand, the best thing you can do is get your booster as soon as it is due. Boosters lower your chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised. It also helps slow the spread of the virus. That’s why it’s important to get your booster three months after your second dose - so if you’re over 18 and your booster is due, please get it now.

As case numbers increase, we are putting in place changes to the way case numbers and other details are reported in our daily updates. Reporters in the Parliamentary Press Gallery have been consulted on these changes.

We are reflecting these changes in the update today, however it’s important to reinforce that we still have the key figures included here, and available online, including New Zealand’s case numbers – by total, at the border, in the community and by DHB region. Vaccination results will also continue to be fully reported.

For the public, as cases of Omicron continue to be identified around the country, it’s important New Zealanders are as ready as they can be if they contract the virus or come into contact with someone else who has the virus.

Make sure you have your personal plans ready, and follow the key public health advice of getting vaccinated, boosted, tested (if you’re symptomatic) and masking up.  

For more information on exactly what phases one and two mean and for information about the supports available in the different phases, please visit the Unite Against COVID-19 website.

COVID-19 vaccine update 

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,049,971 first doses (96%); 3,977,640 second doses (95%); 1,723,253 booster doses (55%) 
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 782 first doses; 1,568 second doses; 1,941 paediatric doses; 56,257 booster doses. 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 515,311 first doses (90%); 490,772 second doses (86%). 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 278,549 first doses (97%); 271,263 second doses (95%). 
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 204,727 first doses (43%) 
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 28,240 first doses (24%) 
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 16,533 first doses (33%) 

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +) 

• Northland DHB: First doses (89.9%); second doses (87%) 
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%) 
• Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) 
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89.9%) 
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89.8%) 
• Hawke’s Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (94%) 
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
• Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (95%) 
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%) 
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) 
• West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) 
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%) 
• South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%) 
• Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%) 

Hospitalisations 

• Cases in hospital: (12); North Shore: 1; Middlemore: 5; Auckland: 2; Rotorua: 1; Bay of Plenty: 1; Christchurch: 2.
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 55
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 0
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (N/A cases / 0%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (1 case / 12%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (7 cases / 88%)  

Cases 

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 215
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 35
• Number of new community cases: 306
• Location of new community cases*: Northland (12), Auckland (216), Waikato (48), Tairāwhiti (4), Bay of Plenty (7), Lakes (6), MidCentral (2), Taranaki (5), Hutt Valley (3); Capital and Coast (3).
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 30
• Location of origin of border cases: UAE (6), Australia (1), Fiji (2), India (6), Lebanon (3), Malaysia (5), Pakistan (2), Papua New Guinea (1), Qatar (2), Full travel history not yet obtained (2)
• Number of active cases (total): 2,470 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) 
• Confirmed cases (total): 18,460

* 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 tests total (last 24 hours): 27,425
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 18,443
• Number of Rapid Antigen Tests in New Zealand: 6,800,000

Updates of note

Southern

A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Queenstown this morning. This is the first community case in the Southern DHB this outbreak. The case was notified after our cut off period so will be added to official figures tomorrow.

Investigations into any potential connections between this case and existing cases outside Southland is underway.

Any locations of interest will be published on the Ministry of Health website.

If you live in, or have visited, the Queenstown area recently please check this list which is regularly updated. 

Anyone in the Queenstown area who has cold or flu like symptoms, even if they are mild and are vaccinated, or has been at a location of interest should get tested. Please stay home or at your accommodation until you return a negative COVID-19 test result, and you are symptom free.

Testing is available throughout the Southern district.

Drive through and walk in testing is available at two sites in Frankton:

• Engage Safety Covid-19 Testing Centre. Drive Through/Walk In - No Appointment Required. Open from 9am to 7pm. 18 Glenda Avenue, Frankton.
• Te Kāika Testing Centre. Drive Through/Walk In - No Appointment Required. Open 11am to 6pm. Pin Oak Ave, Frankton.

For more information, please visit the WellSouth website or the Healthpoint website.