"# of cases" includes both
confirmed and
probable cases, with 45,197 probable cases identified as of 27 May 2024.[5] The number of new cases reported for each date appears in brackets next to the # of cases.
Asterisks (*) and carets (^) denote dates in which the number of new, active cases (in brackets) reported does not equal the increase in total # of cases (compared with the # of cases from the previous date):
Asterisks indicate that one or more previously reported cases have subsequently been reclassified: a previously confirmed case may have been removed, or a previously removed case may have been reconfirmed. Discrepancies may also be due to data updating and reconciliation.
Carets indicate that the # of cases includes one or more historical cases that were considered already recovered at the time of reporting. These are not considered new, active cases, but have still been added to the total # of cases.
On 12 January, epidemiologist Dr
Michael Baker reported that the fifth wave of COVID-19 had seen a surge in cases over the 2023–2024 summer holiday period. The new Omicron subvariant JN.1 was the fastest growing variant, accounting for 14% of sequenced cases in the week leading up to 15 December 2023. As of 7 January, there were 355 COVID-19 patients in hospital and six in intensive care.[10]
On 15 January, 324 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised with six being in intensive care.[11]
On 23 January, 343 patients were in hospital while the seven-day rolling average was 995.[12]
On 26 January, the
Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) reported that COVID-19 wastewater figures had declined over the past two weeks leading up to 21 January. During the first week of January, COVID-19 wastewater figures had averaged 8.46 million genome copies per person per day (GC/p/d). By 21 January, this had declined to 3.76 million GC/p/d.[13]
On 29 January, 258 cases were reported in hospital.[14]
On 31 January,
Health Minister Dr
Shane Reti extended the Government's provision of free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to late June 2024.[15]
On 12 February, there were 245 cases in hospital. There was a seven day rolling average of 838 per day.[22]
On 19 February, there were 205 case in hospital. There was a seven day rolling average of 901 per day.[23]
On 21 February,
Radio New Zealand reported that wastewater testing by the
Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) had showed that the level of the COVID-19 virus in wastewater had risen for three weeks in a row. COVID-19 modeller
Michael Plank suggested the spike was linked to people returning to school and work after the school holidays.[24]
On 4 March,
Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) issued an advisory that household contacts of COVID-19 positive individuals no longer needed to test daily unless they developed COVID-19 symptoms.[29] There were 164 new cases with a seven-day rolling average of 796 per day.[30]
On 7 March, a new COVID-19 vaccine, capable of dealing with newer strains, was released.[31]
On 11 March, there were 171 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 686 per day.[32]
On 18 March, there were 55 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 667 per day.[31]
On 8 April, there were 145 cases in hospital. Regions with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were Canterbury,
Waitematā, Capital and Coast and
Counties Manukau.[39]
On 15 April, there were 152 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 374 per day.[40] In mid-April 2024, the
University of Washington's latest Global Burden of Disease study reported that the all-age mortality rate between 2020 and 2021 was negative in New Zealand and six other countries including
Taiwan,
Mongolia,
Japan,
Iceland,
Antigua and Barbuda, and
Barbados. In 2021, New Zealand and Barbados were the only two countries with negative excess mortality.
University of Otago epidemiologist Professor
Michael Baker attributed the country's negative excess mortality rate to its elimination strategy during that period, which kept Covid numbers down until vaccines became widely available. In 2022, the death toll rose by 10.2% compared with the previous year due to the relaxation of pandemic restrictions and the concurrent outbreak of the
Omicron variant. By 2024, nearly 6,000 New Zealanders had died with COVID-19.[41]
On 23 April, there were 167 cases reported in hospital as of midnight 21 April. The seven-day rolling average was 340 per day. Canterbury and Waitematā had the highest number of infections, reporting 398 and 232 cases respectively.[42]
On 29 April, there were 159 cases reported in hospital. The seven-day rolling average was 335 per day. Canterbury and Capital and Coast had the highest number of infections, reporting 399 and 217 respectively.[43]
On 6 May, 116 cases were reported in hospital on midnight 5 May. The seven-day rolling average was 327 per day.[48]
On 27 May, epidemiologist Professor
Michael Baker said that New Zealand was experiencing its highest peak in COVID-19 cases since December 2022, citing a 3,922 increase in the number of cases reported the previous week based on wastewater testing. He also estimated that 35 people were going to hospital with COVID-19.[49] 282 cases were reported in hospital as of midnight 26 May, with a seven-day rolling average of 948.[50]
References
^
abcThe large increase in recovered cases on these dates is due to changes in case definitions. Starting from 16 December 2021, active cases were automatically considered recovered after 21 days, after previously requiring clearance from a medical practitioner.[1] On 4 March 2022 this period was reduced to 10 days, and from 18 March it was reduced further to 7 days.
^
abChanges in the number of deaths reported on these dates are due to redefinitions of Covid deaths. Initially, a Covid death was reported when COVID-19 was a confirmed or likely cause of death. Starting on 10 March 2022, Covid deaths were reported automatically when a person died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19, or when deaths were clearly linked to COVID-19 after 28 days.[2] From 26 July 2022, a Covid death is reported when COVID-19 is considered the underlying or a contributory cause; previously reported deaths not meeting the new definition were removed from the total number of Covid deaths.[3]
"# of cases" includes both
confirmed and
probable cases, with 45,197 probable cases identified as of 27 May 2024.[5] The number of new cases reported for each date appears in brackets next to the # of cases.
Asterisks (*) and carets (^) denote dates in which the number of new, active cases (in brackets) reported does not equal the increase in total # of cases (compared with the # of cases from the previous date):
Asterisks indicate that one or more previously reported cases have subsequently been reclassified: a previously confirmed case may have been removed, or a previously removed case may have been reconfirmed. Discrepancies may also be due to data updating and reconciliation.
Carets indicate that the # of cases includes one or more historical cases that were considered already recovered at the time of reporting. These are not considered new, active cases, but have still been added to the total # of cases.
On 12 January, epidemiologist Dr
Michael Baker reported that the fifth wave of COVID-19 had seen a surge in cases over the 2023–2024 summer holiday period. The new Omicron subvariant JN.1 was the fastest growing variant, accounting for 14% of sequenced cases in the week leading up to 15 December 2023. As of 7 January, there were 355 COVID-19 patients in hospital and six in intensive care.[10]
On 15 January, 324 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised with six being in intensive care.[11]
On 23 January, 343 patients were in hospital while the seven-day rolling average was 995.[12]
On 26 January, the
Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) reported that COVID-19 wastewater figures had declined over the past two weeks leading up to 21 January. During the first week of January, COVID-19 wastewater figures had averaged 8.46 million genome copies per person per day (GC/p/d). By 21 January, this had declined to 3.76 million GC/p/d.[13]
On 29 January, 258 cases were reported in hospital.[14]
On 31 January,
Health Minister Dr
Shane Reti extended the Government's provision of free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to late June 2024.[15]
On 12 February, there were 245 cases in hospital. There was a seven day rolling average of 838 per day.[22]
On 19 February, there were 205 case in hospital. There was a seven day rolling average of 901 per day.[23]
On 21 February,
Radio New Zealand reported that wastewater testing by the
Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) had showed that the level of the COVID-19 virus in wastewater had risen for three weeks in a row. COVID-19 modeller
Michael Plank suggested the spike was linked to people returning to school and work after the school holidays.[24]
On 4 March,
Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) issued an advisory that household contacts of COVID-19 positive individuals no longer needed to test daily unless they developed COVID-19 symptoms.[29] There were 164 new cases with a seven-day rolling average of 796 per day.[30]
On 7 March, a new COVID-19 vaccine, capable of dealing with newer strains, was released.[31]
On 11 March, there were 171 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 686 per day.[32]
On 18 March, there were 55 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 667 per day.[31]
On 8 April, there were 145 cases in hospital. Regions with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were Canterbury,
Waitematā, Capital and Coast and
Counties Manukau.[39]
On 15 April, there were 152 cases in hospital with a seven day rolling average of 374 per day.[40] In mid-April 2024, the
University of Washington's latest Global Burden of Disease study reported that the all-age mortality rate between 2020 and 2021 was negative in New Zealand and six other countries including
Taiwan,
Mongolia,
Japan,
Iceland,
Antigua and Barbuda, and
Barbados. In 2021, New Zealand and Barbados were the only two countries with negative excess mortality.
University of Otago epidemiologist Professor
Michael Baker attributed the country's negative excess mortality rate to its elimination strategy during that period, which kept Covid numbers down until vaccines became widely available. In 2022, the death toll rose by 10.2% compared with the previous year due to the relaxation of pandemic restrictions and the concurrent outbreak of the
Omicron variant. By 2024, nearly 6,000 New Zealanders had died with COVID-19.[41]
On 23 April, there were 167 cases reported in hospital as of midnight 21 April. The seven-day rolling average was 340 per day. Canterbury and Waitematā had the highest number of infections, reporting 398 and 232 cases respectively.[42]
On 29 April, there were 159 cases reported in hospital. The seven-day rolling average was 335 per day. Canterbury and Capital and Coast had the highest number of infections, reporting 399 and 217 respectively.[43]
On 6 May, 116 cases were reported in hospital on midnight 5 May. The seven-day rolling average was 327 per day.[48]
On 27 May, epidemiologist Professor
Michael Baker said that New Zealand was experiencing its highest peak in COVID-19 cases since December 2022, citing a 3,922 increase in the number of cases reported the previous week based on wastewater testing. He also estimated that 35 people were going to hospital with COVID-19.[49] 282 cases were reported in hospital as of midnight 26 May, with a seven-day rolling average of 948.[50]
References
^
abcThe large increase in recovered cases on these dates is due to changes in case definitions. Starting from 16 December 2021, active cases were automatically considered recovered after 21 days, after previously requiring clearance from a medical practitioner.[1] On 4 March 2022 this period was reduced to 10 days, and from 18 March it was reduced further to 7 days.
^
abChanges in the number of deaths reported on these dates are due to redefinitions of Covid deaths. Initially, a Covid death was reported when COVID-19 was a confirmed or likely cause of death. Starting on 10 March 2022, Covid deaths were reported automatically when a person died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19, or when deaths were clearly linked to COVID-19 after 28 days.[2] From 26 July 2022, a Covid death is reported when COVID-19 is considered the underlying or a contributory cause; previously reported deaths not meeting the new definition were removed from the total number of Covid deaths.[3]