Tuesday May 17

There are 9,843 new cases of Covid-19 and eight people with the virus have died. 

Of these cases there are 288 in Northland, 3,442 in Auckland, 792 in Waikato, 342 in Bay of Plenty, 185 in Lakes, 361 in Hawke’s Bay, 339 in MidCentral, 105 in Whanganui, 291 in Taranaki, 90 in Tairāwhiti, 87 in Wairarapa, 600 in Capital and Coast, 249 in Hutt Valley, 320 in Nelson Marlborough, 1,305 in Canterbury, 177 in South Canterbury, 781 in Southern, 83 in West Coast, 6 in unknown locations.

There are currently 54,550 active cases in the community. 

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

Todays seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 7,795 – last Tuesday, it was 7,927.

Since the pandemic started, the total of confirmed Covid-19 cases is 1,056,656. 

Hospitalisations and Covid-19 related deaths

Eight people with Covid-19 have died, bringing the total to date to 986.  

Of the people whose deaths are reported today, three people were from the Southern region, two were from Auckland, two were from Northland and one was from Canterbury.

One person was in their 60s, four in their 70s, and three were aged over 90.

Four were women and four were men.

The 7-day rolling average of reported deaths is 16.

There are 421 people in hospital, with 10 of those people in intensive care or high dependency units.

The average age of people currently in hospital is 60.

Vaccinations 

96.3 percent of New Zealand's eligible population have had the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 95.2 percent have had a second dose.

70.7 percent of eligible people have had their booster shot. 

Testing 

The number of PCR tests taken over the past 24 hours is 4,442 and the number of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) that have been reported in the past 24 hours is 18,949.

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

Top image: A vaccination bus is pictured at the Auckland Airport drive through vaccination centre in Auckland (Source: Getty)