Wednesday March 16

Eight people with Covid-19 died yesterday and in the past three weeks, an additional 16 people have died. 

Today, there are 19,452 new cases of Covid-19.

Of these, 661 are in Northland, 5,318 are in Auckland, 1,834 in Waikato, 1,347 in Bay of Plenty, 584 in Lakes, 1,049 in Hawke's Bay, 802 in MidCentral, 231 in Whanganui, 663 in Taranaki, 370 in Tairāwhiti, 208 in Wairarapa, 1,308 in Capital and Coast, 780 in Hutt Valley, 487 in Nelson Marlborough, 2,385 in Canterbury, 185 in South Canterbury*, 1,203 in Southern, 30 in West Coast, and 7 in unknown locations.

*Re: contacted the Ministry of Health after spotting one case was not linked to a location or unknown location. At 3.40pm, a Ministry of Health spokesperson said South Canterbury's cases is 185 - not 184 as it had initially reported.

The total number of active cases is 197,464.

The Ministry of Health defines active cases as those identified in the last 10 days and not yet classified as recovered.

Hospitalisations and Covid-19 deaths

With 24 deaths being reported today - 8 yesterday and 16 in the past three weeks, the total of publicly reported Covid-related deaths to date is 141.

Of the 24 people being reported today, three died in Northland, seven in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in the Bay of Plenty, two in MidCentral and two in Wairarapa.

One of these people was in their 40s, one in their 50s, four in their 60s, three in their 70s, eight in their 80s and six in their 90s. Eleven were women and twelve were men.

Information about one person's age group and location is not available.

Today, the average age of the people who died was 79. This has been increasing over the last week.

There are now 971 cases in hospital.

Of those cases in hospital, 21 are in the ICU or HDU.

The average age of current hospitalisations is 57

Testing

The Ministry of Health is encouraging people to get tested if they have any Covid-19 symptoms.

If you take a RAT you must report the result, positive or negative. This can be done online through MyCovidRecord, or by calling 0800 222 478 between 8am and 8pm. 

Vaccinations

96.7 percent of New Zealand's eligible population have had the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 95.3 percent have had a second dose.

72.8 percent of eligible people have gotten the booster.

Tourists visiting New Zealand

New Zealand is set to open its doors to vaccinated international visitors and tourists from Australia from 11.59pm April 12, and from 11.59pm May 1 from visa waiver countries and people with valid visitor visas.

Visa waiver countries include the likes of the UK, US, Japan, Mexico and Singapore.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement today.

Ardern said "our border has already opened to New Zealanders around the world and on Monday critical and skilled workers also became eligible to enter without isolation".

"We have now received guidance it is now safe to significantly bring forward the next stage of border reopening work - to bring back our tourists. We are ready to welcome the world back."

Top Image: International arrivals in Auckland (Photo: iStock)

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