New Zealand’s total death toll of people with Covid-19 has now grown to more than 200, with 11 new deaths announced today, as well as 20,087 new community cases.
Photo: 123rf.com
The new deaths bring the official total of people who have died with Covid-19 to 210.
The 11 deaths announced today include two from Northland, five from the Auckland region, one from Bay of Plenty and three from the Wellington region. One of these people was in their 30s, one in their 60s, one in their 70s, four were in their 80s and four in their 90s. Six were men and five were women.
The seven-day rolling average of deaths is nine.
There are also 960 people in hospital with the coronavirus today, down from 1016 yesterday, but the number of people in ICU has grown from 25 yesterday to 31 today.
The ministry said there were 4122 cases in Auckland, down slightly from yesterday’s 4291 cases. The case numbers in Canterbury have also dropped by 20 from 3488 yesterday to 3468 today.
The rest of today’s cases were in the Northland (727), Waikato (1726), Bay of Plenty (1290), Lakes (505), Hawke’s Bay (1,064), MidCentral (919), Whanganui (388), Taranaki (679), Tairāwhiti (339), Wairarapa (276), Capital and Coast (1259), Hutt Valley (720), Nelson Marlborough (584), Canterbury (3468), South Canterbury (319), Southern (1631), and West Coast (56) DHBs.
The ministry said 34 cases were also identified at the border.
New Zealand has now recorded a total of 517,495 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
There were 3972 booster doses given yesterday, as well as 194 first doses; 388 second doses; 29 third primary doses; 208 paediatric first doses and 4028 paediatric second doses.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is revealing Cabinet’s decisions about when and how Covid-19 restrictions will be eased.
Ardern is joined by Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall.
Ardern says the traffic light system will remain help manage any future outbreaks.
However, she says things have changed since the system was introduced: we’re now dealing with Omicron, rather than Delta; we have more data now and are better able to identify which environments are high risk; and we have high rates of vaccination coverage.
With that in mind, Ardern says she is announcing that all outdoor gathering limits will be removed from the traffic light system.
She says indoor gathering limits will increase from 100 to 200 under the red light setting.
Ardern says data shows hospitality had a relatively low secondary attack rate of 6.7 percent, which is backed up by other research.
She says it’s the view of public health officials hospitality gathering limits can be increased in the red setting from 100 to 200 without having a significant impact on the health system, particularly when retaining the seated and separated rules.
She is also announcing that vaccine passes will no longer be required from 11.59pm on 4 April.
Businesses and events will still be able to use them, if they choose to do so, but they will no longer be mandated, she says.
Ardern says masks are vital, and while people do not like them – for good reason – a study from the British Medical Journal late last year showed mask wearing reduced new cases by 53 percent.
In Orange, outdoor events will also be limitless. Close contact is higher risk for indoor events however so organisers of events over 500 people are encouraged to either add extra capacity or provide seating.
Green will not have restrictions but there will be guidance, and will not change.
“These changes are based on the best available evidence we have right now in real time. We believe they will make the Covid Protection Framework easier to maintain while also still being very effective,” Ardern says.
She says the changes can be made almost immediately and will come into effect at 11.59pm on 25 March.
On mandates and vaccine passes, Ardern says she was initially not in favour of their use but after months of Delta it became clear that mandates were needed to achieve vaccination levels required for safe reopening, and passes had a role to play too.
She says these were undoubtedly one of the reasons we reached 95 percent of the eligible population vaccinated, and achieved the near elimination of Delta over summer, but Omicron has changed things.
Almost all of New Zealand’s more than 500,000 cases of Covid-19 have been in the Omicron wave, she says. Many cases do not show symptoms and testing does not catch every case, so modellers expect total cases now could be as high as 1.7 million.
For the unvaccinated, the illness can be severe, she says.
Ardern says these people will have built some immunity from the illness itself, and as we come down off the peak the need for passes changes.
The isolation period for household contacts remains at seven days, Ardern says.
On QR codes, she says there is no plan for us to contact trace more widely with the exception of high-risk environments like aged care facilities or residential facilities for the vulnerable.
From this weekend people will no longer be required to scan everywhere they go, and businesses are no longer required to provide the means to do so.
Ardern says businesses should stand ready to stand up QR codes again and people should not yet delete the app from their phone, in case of a new variant that evades vaccines or is more deadly, in which case contact tracing would provide again a more critical role.
“Scanning has been a really important part of what we’ve achieved, so thank you for everyone for playing your part.”
Finally, Cabinet has also reviewed the role of vaccine mandates. As rates increased, they sought advice from professor David Skegg, who said the case for or against was now more finely balanced.
Skegg said: “Because of our relatively high vaccination coverage and increasing natural immunity as well as the apparent lowering of vaccine effectiveness of the Omicron variant, while vaccination remains critically important in protecting New Zealanders from Covid-19 we believe that several of the vaccine mandates could be dropped once the Omicron peak has passed.”
The government will no longer require mandates for education, police and defence workforces and businesses operating vaccine passes from 11.59pm on 4 April. They will continue to be used in health, aged care, corrections staff and border and MIQ workers.
Ardern says the government has also asked whether the mandates in the health sector could be narrowed, and expects to provide more updates on advice to the private sector on their use more broadly.
However, she asks that people still get vaccinated and boosted, saying it will continue to be central to the stability and strength of New Zealand’s recovery.
Looking back
Ardern says after two long years of living in a pandemic it’s easy to lose sight of how far New Zealand has come.
“This exact day two years ago, Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield announced from over at the Ministry of Health that we had 36 new cases of Covid-19. Half at that time were from overseas travel, with the exception of the Queenstown World Hereford Cattle conference … we could contact trace 50 new cases a day back then. We hadn’t locked down yet, but the early signs were there.”
She says two new community cases were announced on 23 March 2020, one in Wairarapa with no link to the border.
Within days New Zealand was in a nationwide lockdown, a decision Ardern says was not a hard one.
“We had no other defence, no other way to protect each other. There was no vaccine, no antiviral medicines, there was very little data to tell us which public health restrictions worked and which did not, so we built our own defences and we hunkered down.”
The transition has not been easy but it has worked, she says. New Zealand successfully eliminated the first wave and recorded the lowest number of deaths in the OECD for two years in a row.
She says the response was also the best economic response, but while we’ve been successful “it was also bloody hard … everyone has had to give up something to make this work and some more than others”.
She says she imagines every family will have had a difficult conversation about vaccines, mandates or passes but among the different opinions there is also fatigue.
Ardern says we are now able to keep moving forward safely, but we have to keep in mind that Covid is here to stay.
Ardern says for most people now symptoms are minor and they’ve recovered well at home, but others less able to fight the virus it meant a threat to their lives. Experts believe the case numbers have peaked in Auckland now, and the rest of the country is expected to follow in the next couple of weeks.
She says after the peak we will fall back to a steady rolling baseline of potentially several thousand cases a day, and there are likely to be spikes particularly over winter.
“We need to continue to use tools that can keep our vulnerable community safe, such as those who are immunocompromised and those with disabilities … there are ways we can do that while continuing to move forward.”
Cabinet has been seeking advice on the vaccine mandates, passes, the traffic light system, and all Covid-19 restrictions now that New Zealand appears to be nearing or passing the peak of Omicron cases, and made decisions in their Monday meeting.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says there are also 25 people in ICU or HDU and the average age of all hospitalised is 59.
Dr Bloomfield says the latest analysis shows Covid-19 case numbers have passed their peak in Auckland, and are tracking down in all three district health boards.
The seven-day rolling average of cases is 17,020. There were 34 new cases at the border.
The new deaths take the total number of publicly reported Covid-19 related deaths to 199 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths to 10.
Of the 15 people who had died, nine were from the Auckland region, three from Waikato, and three from the Wellington region. One was in their 50s, three in their 60s, two in their 70s and five in their 80s. Eight were men and seven women.
In the past 24 hours, there have been 2007 PCR tests and 43,768 reported rapid antigen tests.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced 14,463 new community cases.
Today, the MOH said there was “an increase … in case numbers across most regions of New Zealand, however, it’s not unexpected as we generally see lower testing and reporting over weekends”.
As for vaccinations, of the eligible population over 12, 96.3 percent have had their first dose, 95.1 percent have had their second dose and 72.8 percent have had their booster.
The MOH said “Getting boosted continues to be one of the most important ways people can protect themselves from Omicron and severe illness.
“There is a much lower risk of being hospitalised if you are up to date with your vaccinations, which, for Omicron, includes a third or booster dose.”
People are being warned not to collect or eat shellfish from Tongatapu, Ha’apai and ‘Eua coasts due to toxic poisoning risks.
The Ministry of Fisheries said these areas were affected by the ashfall after the volcano eruption on January 15.
It said it received reports of people getting sick after consuming shellfish from these areas. Fish in these coastal areas could also be at risk, it said.
Victims included people who suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, and having pain in various parts of the body at the same time.
The Ministry said fish from deep sea fishing could be safe for consumption.
The news came after it was reported that 84 percent of the population of Tonga was affected by the ashfall and tsunami that hit the country on January 15.
A New Zealand government minister said at the time there were “high levels of sulphur in the air at the moment and also in the water”. They added that this was a risk to drinking water and fishing, which is vital to the Tongan people, and could lead to a rise in water temperatures.
However, the Minister of Health Saia Piukala later on said drinking water had been tested and it was safe.
Minister of Health Dr Saia Piukala. Photo/Screenshot (FM87.5 online)
Tonga has reported one new Covid-related death bringing the number of deaths to a total of three since the outbreak.
The Minister of Health Saia Piukala said “that three recent deaths were all Covid related”, a statement published on Parliament’s website said.
“Hon. Piukala made the confirmation during a Press Conference with the PM yesterday”, it said.
“The victims include an 88-year-old elderly who was not vaccinated. Others are two males in their 40s, one suffered from a cancer illness while the other one with underlying medical conditions”.
Health Chief Executive Dr. Siale ‘Akau’ola said “they all have the symptoms of Covid, and the cause of death is Covid related. Covid has prompted their deaths.”
There are 186 new cases of Omicron in Tonga today Monday 21.
There are 2082 active cases while 1327 people had been recovered.
It’s been one year after a body of a Tongan woman in Salt Lake city was found dead and authorities are still continuing to investigate.
The family of Akosita Kaufusi is raising awareness around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. (Garna Mejia, KSL-TV)
Police have treated the suspicious death of Akosita Kaufusi, 42, in far western Salt Lake County near the Great Saltair as a homicide.
Salt Lake Investigators discovered Kaufusi had been shot on August 2020.
Her body was discovered by a jogger about a half mile east of Saltair near an I-80 frontage road. She had been deceased “at least several days,” reports said.
Last month, eighteen months after Kaufusi’s body was found, her family talked to media to raise their concerns.
“Nothing,” Makalita Ofa, her aunt, said. “Nothing at all”, reported KSL.com.
Ofa was frustrated seeing the resources dedicated to finding Gabby Petito, and the worldwide attention that was drawn for the white 22-year-old.
“It’s awful what happened to her,” Ofa said. “I just think the attention needs to be on everyone.”
Ofa has been raising awareness around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls ever since she experienced it firsthand.
Every four out of five Indigenous women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the Urban Indian Health Institute. On top of that, Indigenous women are murdered at a rate 10 times higher than all other ethnicities, according to the National Institute of Justice.
“It’s an epidemic,” Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said.
Romero is leading a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ task force and trying to secure $130,000 in state funding to collect updated data in the state, expand preventative education, and explore jurisdiction handlings on these cases.
“I know that the tribal lands are very skeptical of others coming into their community. There is just a lack of trust, but I think it is time to build that bridge,” Ofa said. “That is the only way we are going to solve this.”
Anyone with information that leads to an arrest in the murder of Akosita Kaufusi could receive a reward of up to $5,000.
About 3000 Tongan families will benefit from an international project to restore agriculture devastated by January’s volcanic eruption and tsunami.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation will spend US$700,000 to help households that relied on agriculture for their income before the volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated Tonga in January.
Funding for the rehabilitation project will come from Belgium and the United States.
The money will also support families to re-establish income from fishing.
The project will also investigate the long term effects of the ash that fell on the kingdom after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano exploded.
According to initial damage assessments, 80 percent of crops were affected by the tsunami in some of the worst affected communities on Tongatapu, Ha’apai and ‘Eua.
Thousands of square kilometres of crops and farms were damaged or destroyed and livestock were drowned by the tsunami.
The recovery project will focus on
Re-starting the crop production through land clearance support and provision of agriculture inputs,
Protecting the remaining livestock with the provision of emergency veterinary treatment and farm supplies to improve livestock health and farm recovery,
Restoring small-scale fishing activities and enabling small-scale fishing for nearshore pelagic fish.
FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands Ms Xiangjun Yao, said the FAO was collaborating with Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests and the Ministry of Fisheries.
Implementing the project was complicated by the arrival of Covid-19 in Tonga and the spread of the disease would be closely monitored.
The Supreme Court has sentenced a man to 33 months in prison for a shooting that stemmed from a fight in a night club.
Justice Niu, presiding, sentenced Timote ‘Aho’atu for causing grievous bodily harm to Siaosi Na’a when he shot him with a pistol, injuring his right arm and chest.
Na’a gave evidence that two months before the shooting he and ‘Aho’atu had a fight in a night club on Vuna Rd.
Na’a told the court he hit ‘Aho’atu and this was why he sought him out and shot him with a pistol.
The incident occurred at Havelu on July 5, 2021.
The court was told that ‘Aho’atu went to the home of one Kemio Sika at Havelu where Na’a was and shot him in his right arm. The bullet travelled through his chest and lodged on the left wall of the chest. The bullet is still there.
The bullet missed the heart, lungs and major blood vessels and Na’a was discharged from hospital five days later.
‘Aho’atu admitted to the offence when he was arrested.
He told the police he threw the pistol into the sea at the Faua Wharf. Police were unable to find the weapon. ‘Aho’atu had no previous conviction, but had been deported from Australia for domestic violence in 2016.
In his summing up, Justice Niu said ‘Aho’atu had apologised to his victim and given him food and TP$200. The court was told Na’a had forgiven him and asked that he not be penalised.
In sentencing ‘Aho’atu, Judge Niu said he had completely disregarded the law.
“The law required you to complain to the police if you felt that the victim had unfairly and unlawfully done you wrong,” the judge said.
“That law prohibits you from punishing, or killing the person who has wronged you. If there was no such law then there would be lawlessness. There would be no law and order and there would be no freedom.
“Your sentence must reflect the complete rejection and condemnation by society of what you have done and the upholding of the law.”
The judge said the accused must take a course in anger management to avoid any repeat of the offence.
“It is clear that you had committed domestic violence overseas and had been sent back here because of your inability to control your temper,” the judge told ‘Aho’atu.
However, the judge said his sentence would be mitigated because he had shown he remorseful. He had apologised to the victim and pleaded guilty. He had co-operated with the police and demonstrated he would rehabilitate yourself.
‘Aho’atu was sentenced for causing grievous bodily harm, to two years and nine months imprisonment, a total of 33 months.
The final 18 months were to be suspended for a period of two years from the date of his release on condition that he lived and worked where the Probation Officer directed and did not commit an offence punishable by imprisonment during the period of suspension.
The number of Covid -19 cases in Samoa has climbed to 196.
This included 15 imported cases and 85 people who tested positive on Sunday.
Eleven people are reported to be in isolation at Moto’otua Hospital.
The first case of community transmission was identified on Thursday and since then the Ministry of Health has carried 2,207 tests at six Covid-19 screening sites in addition to tests conducted in health facilities.
The screening site at the Red Cross headquarters at Tuanaimato in Apia has so far recorded 47% of the positive cases.
The prime minister has visited all district hospitals with members of Cabinet as Samoa deals with the rapid spread.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa thanked staff urged them to reach out if they encounter any issues.
Fiame said the visit to hospitals at Lufilufi, Lalomanu, Poutasi, Sa’anapu, Faleolo and Leulumoega were to see first hand whether they are well prepared.
She said “the key word is access for the public” to local facilities so they avoid going to the national hospital in Apia “which is already congested.”
Covid’s spread in some other parts of the Pacific:
Kiribati
Kiribati recorded 19 new Covid-19 cases over the weekend, bringing the total number of people who have tested positive for the Omicron variant to 3,061.
The health ministry reports 2,510 people or 82 percent of those who were infected have fully recovered.
The Government has extended its curfew by another two weeks – ending on the first of April – to reduce the spread of community transmissions.
But it said the lockdown restrictions could be further increased “should the need arise”, as authorities are anticipating a second wave of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, there have been 13 confirmed deaths due to coronavirus in Kiribati.
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is now reporting 490 active cases of Covid-19, with 247 people having recovered.
While no one has been hospitalised to date, the Prime Minister Mark Brown said it’s vital people realise how vulnerable the country’s elderly population and the unvaccinated are.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu has confirmed 150 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 as of midday on 18 March.
There were 146 positive infections recorded on Efate Island and another four on Santo Island.
The health ministry said there are 649 active cases in the community, with two people hospitalised and needing medical treatment.
Several Auckland schools have closed and residents in Northland and Auckland are urged to take shelter as a severe thunderstorm and heavy rain travels down the North Island.
MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the areas of Kaipara, Far North, Whangārei and Rodney.
A severe thunderstorm watch is already in force for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.
More than 4000 lightning strikes were recorded in the Auckland and lower Northland regions, with more than 700 in the space of five minutes earlier this morning.
The National Emergency Management Agency is urging people to take shelter inside, away from windows as the weather hits early this morning.
