students who attended the parties were advised by health authorities to get tested. though the university advised all students attending the party to get tested, confusion emerged when local health providers including wellsouth opted to only test individuals who were symptomatic or close contacts. by 18 february, several dunedin schools including carisbrook school, bradford school, balmacewen intermediate school, otago boys' high school, columba college, and queenstown's wakatipu high school had reported positive cases. on 21 february, two new deaths were reported in auckland. one was a patient at middlemore hospital while the other was a patient in their 70s at auckland city hospital. on 22 february, a dunedin pathology worker at southern community laboratory tested positive for covid-19. that same day, king's and queen's high schools in dunedin also reported positive cases. from 24 february, rats are now included in the daily tally separate from pcr tests. in addition, health authorities confirmed the death of another patient at middlemore hospital in auckland. that same day, the convoy 2022 new zealand's wellington protest camp was identified by the health ministry as a "location of interest." people present the occupation between 11.55am and 11pm on 19 february and 11am and 11.59pm on 20 february were considered close contacts. on 25 february, five new deaths were reported in hospital, bringing the death toll to 62. two were from auckland's north shore hospital, two from waikato and one from tauranga. on 28 february, david parker tested positive for covid-19, become the first new zealand member of parliament to test positive for the disease. march date cases recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunityothertotal 119,588118,81228118,61305628399,8590100,143 222,160142,32113518,748056276123,8360124,114 323,194166,09851519,263056252146,5270146,779 422,535188,68016,87536,138763126152,3530152,479 518,840207,5623,44239,580063126167,7930167,919 615,162222,7673,58643,166265123179,4130179,536 717,582240,3194,48047,646065116192,4920192,608 823,913264,25523,96571,611065127192,4520192,579 922,466286,75012,81784,428065116202,1410202,257 1021,030307,80314,56098,988-91110208,6240208,734 1121,012328,83619,895118,883598113209,7540209,867 1218,715347,57622,195141,0787105121206,2840206,405 1314,516362,10923,543164,6218113136197,2510197,387 1415,562377,68522,495187,1161114147190,3200190,467 1521,633399,34218,859205,9751115157193,1080193,265 1619,487418,86115,109221,08422141188197,4640197,652 1719,591438,45217,411238,49510151207199,6400199,847 1814,148452,60090,170328,6653156156123,7110123,867 1918,559471,22518,751347,4166164186123,4790123,665 2012,046483,22214,521361,9377175193120,9410121,134 2114,495497,73115,572377,50912184203119,8560120,059 2220,941518,68521,653399,16214199220119,1260119,346 2320,130538,83919,504418,6667210224119,7560119,989 2418,467557,33019,603438,2698221243118,6260118,869 2515,900573,23014,149452,4189234255120,3700120,625 2614,212587,46715,995468,41316254252118,5850118,837 2710,272597,74514,598483,0116258255114,2560114,511 2812,934610,68714,469497,4808269277112,6990112,976 2917,192627,89820,92551840535303291108,9360109,227 3015,966643,87520,127538,53212317296104,7690105,065 3115,289659,17518,469557,00120338288101,5870101,875 on 6 march, the chatham islands recorded its first two cases of covid-19. in response, the canterbury district health board distributed rapid antigen kits to all households residing on the islands. on 7 march, four members of parliament including national party mp simon bridges, police minister poto williams, attorney general david parker, and labour party mp anahila kanongata'a-suisuiki tested positive for covid-19. in addition, māori party co-leader rawiri waititi entered into isolation after his family tested positive. by 8 march, national party leader christopher luxon along with fellow national mps mark mitchell and stuart smith had tested positive for covid-19. in addition a third of national mps and six labour mps had entered into self-isolation after being identified as close contacts. on 10 march, the death statistic definition was changed to include all cases who died within 28 days of being reported as a covid-19 case even if their cause of death was ultimately unrelated. because of this the ministry also began reporting separate tallies of deaths classified as being clearly caused by covid-19 and clearly not caused by it. on 16 march, the covid-19 response minister chris hipkins tested positive for covid-19. by 30 march, the southern district health board had reported 8,336 active cases in the otago and southland regions. april date cases recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunityothertotal 113,524672,71215,911572,9121535530899,178099,486 211,634684,37414,215587,1271633016496,753096,917 38,841693,21510,664597,7912039630694,772095,078 410,238703,46712,524610,3151340529092,499092,789 514,168717,65017,189627,5042342829389,467089,760 612,618730,28515,974643,4781844328886,115086,403 711,685741,98715,284658,7622245629982,500082,799 89,975751,97413,531672,293946631778,941079,258 98,557760,54011,632683,9251047730475,866076,170 106,749767,2958,826692,7511248930673,781074,087 117,631774,92810,242702,9931250030671,160071,466 1211,110786,05814,182717,1751451631068,090068,400 139,455795,60612,625729,8001453132064,989065,309 149,624805,24011,686741,4861754733462,906063,240 157,826813,0709,971751,4572056632760,752061,079 165,810818,8828,568760,025957636357,951058,314 175,985824,8676,756766,7811158637857,154057,532 186,283831,1497,627774,4081059730855,869056,177 198,308839,45511,105785,513660230953,063053,372 2011,277850,7479,514795,0271261533754,801055,138 2110,360861,1189,631804,6581863335355,507055,860 229,446870,5917,832812,4901064636057,131057,491 237,985878,5755,796818,2861766536459,298059,662 245,706884,2895,986824,272967436759,014059,381 255,747890,0396,285830,557868338558,453058,838 266,442896,4958,306838,863568741356,570056,983 279,904906,39711,272850,1352271042755,164055,591 289,127915,52210,349860,4841272344153914054,355 298,316923,8479,438869,9221373746252,767053,229 307,119930,9697,966877,888674449051,889052,379 on 2 april, radio new zealand reported that men accounted for two thirds of covid-19 deaths in new zealand, citing figures released by the ministry of health. the health ministry confirmed that 190 of the covid-19 fatalities reported in 2022 were men, compared with 114 women. epidemiologist michael baker stated that these trends followed overseas patterns but also identified underlying health conditions and age as bigger factors than biological sex in influencing covid-19 death rates. in addition, health ministry figures confirmed that slightly more women than men were infected by covid-19, with women accounting for 56% of those hospitalised with the virus. may date cases recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunityothertotal 15,718936,6975,705883,593575050751,890052,397 26,726943,4285,727889,320675753852,857053,395 39,237952,6976,452895,7721877761355,581056,194 48,578961,2629,873905,6452280166054,204054,864 58,706969,9599,096914,7412182167553,769054,444 67,4269773808,295923,0362384567952,868053,547 76,838984,2187,110930,1551185769252,563053,255 85,720989,9465,725935,880286069952,557053,256 96,464996,4176,726942,606286266152,338052,999 109,2511,005,6746,111948,7171487666255,469056,131 118,0471,013,72111,6679603842990255651,926052,482 129,4761,023,2058,695969,079891154452,719053,263 137,5191,030,7337,404976,4832994053752,821053,358 147,1301,037,8556,803983,2861795851553,145053,660 155,8191,043,6835,719989,0051497351753,238053,755 167,1081,050,7976,466995,471697850753,890054,397 179,9061,060,7109,2601,004,731898649254,550055,042 189,6611,070,3739,4061,012,754301,01750656,146056,652 199,1811,079,5579,4691,022,22361,02251155,850056,361 207,8991,087,4667,5191,029,742171,03953256,202056,734 216,7201,094,1927,1181,036,86071,04555455,781056,335 225,0501,099,2505,8181,042,678101,05554055,025055,565 236,0581,105,3177,1051,049,783101,06455353,964054,517 248,5001,113,8289,9311,059,714141,07155652,537053,083 258,2281,122,0759,6411,069,355101,08654651,113051,679 267,6601,129,7499,1661,078,521161,10252649,645050,171 276,9521,136,7087,8711,086,392301,12752348706049,229 286,4241,1431,466,7101,093,102111,14049448,452048,946 294,8841,148,0455,0501,098,15291,14947648,310048,786 305,8881,153,9466,0621,104,21451,15446748,153048,620 318,5151,162,4998,4871,112,701161,17249148,179048,670 on 1 may, the ministry of health confirmed its first case of the ba.4 variant of the sars-cov-2 omicron variant. the individual had arrived from south africa on 22 april and tested positive on 24 april. the second case of the ba.4 variant was reported on 2 may. on 8 may, new zealand reported its first case of the ba.5 variant of the omicron variant at the border. the individual had arrived from south africa on 26 april and tested positive on 1 may. the following day, two more cases of the ba.5 variant were reported at the border. both cases originated in south africa. on 10 may, the total number of cases in new zealand exceeded the 1 million mark, rising to 1,005,674. on 14 may, prime minister jacinda ardern tested positive for covid-19. her partner clarke gayford had earlier tested positive for covid-19 on 8 may. on 17 may, the total number of recoveries in nz exceeded the 1 million mark, reaching 1,004,731. on 18 may, the health ministry's announced death toll exceed the 1,000 mark, reaching 1,017. this figure includes covid-deaths that occurred more than 28 days after a covid-19 case was reported and deaths with incomplete details. on 22 may 2022, mayor of wellington andy foster tested positive for covid-19. june date cases recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunityothertotal 18,2711,170,8158,2351,120,936121,18550248,237048,739 27,9651,178,8167,6651,128,601111,19752048,544049,064 36,3011,185,1516,9531,135,554121,21050147,933048,434 46,3741,191,5606,4421,141,99691,22152647,866048,392 54,4501,146,8894,8931,146,88971,22953047,435047,965 6----------no update 75,8311,206,4118,5261,161,31481,24350543,398043,903 87,1201,213,5468,2971,169,611221,26748642,233042,719 98,0231,221,7247,9881,177,599241,29448742,398042,885 106,3831,228,1876,3231,183,92271,30350742,511043,018 115,2021,233,4506,3901,190,31271,31149641,388041,884 124,4741,237,9794,4721,194,78471,32051841,416041,934 134,4811,242,4974,4821,199,26661,32553141,433041,964 146,2151,248,8525,8781,205,144191,34855941,863042,422 155,6241,254,5607,1961,248,29891,35956040,365040,925 165,5421,260,4418,0851,220,425131,37457038,138038,708 174,9331,265,4556,4531,226,87871,39055036,712037,262 184,4541,270,0395,2481,232,12691,40152836,061036,589 193,2771,273,3894,5161,236,64251,40649634,922035,418 204,0771,277,5684,5491,241,19181,41548634,554035,040 215,6951,283,4446,3121,247,503131,35046734,124034,591 225,5771,289,1285,6921,253,195181,45047434,091034,565 235,3911,294,6575,8981,259,093121,43148533,699034,184 24---------no update 253,9221,303,7794,5431,268,64591,45559333,137033,730 261,2611,308,3873,3411,271,98661,46163434,357034,991 275,6441,314,1454,1691,276,155111,47266935,900036,569 288,1221,322,4765,8471,282,002161,48832239,037039,037 297,9291,330,5385,7321,287,734121,50371540,640041,355 307,6291,338,5015,5531,293,267171,52298642,782043,768 on 3 june, the first four community cases of the omicron subvariant ba.5 and the first case of the ba.4 subvariant were reported in new zealand. on 30 june, deputy prime minister grant robertson tested positive for covid-19. july date cases reinfections recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunitytotal 17,1951,345,796--5,0151,298,28271,5291,09844,94346,401 26,6261,352,688--3,9911,302,273211,5491,16647,75548,921 35,0891,357,862--4,6001,306,873111,5601,24248,24249,484 46,6501,364,733--5,7671,312,64071,5681,28349,29850,581 59,8161,374,535--8,3331,320,973221,5921,33050,69852,028 6-----------no update 711,0841,403,073351-7,8551,343,926151,6191,52856,05857,586 89,9531,412,64233414,3387,3921,351,318201,6411,58558,15859,743 99,5581,422,17833314,6636,8031,358,121211,6631,66560,79062,455 107,7471,429,92420614,8695,4691,363,59091,6741,76362,96064,723 118,6751,438,59924815,1176,5711,370,161171,6881,89864,91266,810 1211,8541,450,45144015,5579,8141,379,975171,7072,02866,80368,831 1311,8191,462,25748116,03510,5271,390,502291,7372,15567,29670,081 1411,7161,473,95542716,45810,9091,401,411231,7602,11068,73770,847 1510,8031,484,74641916,7819,5341,410,945161,7762,16469,92472,088 169,5491,494,27235717,2269,5331,420,478281,8052,21169,84272,053 176,4931,500,75425417,4777,7511,428,229221,8272,18768,57570,762 187,9751,508,72830917,7868,6751,436,904211,8492,26667,77470,040 1910,7721,519,49053818,31811,8171,448,721191,8702,31366,65368,966 2010,7161,530,18650418,81411,7441,460,465341,9072,36165,52367,884 2110,3361,540,50947919,28611,6841,472,149311,9282,41164,08166,492 229,0871,549,58942319,70910,7701,482,919221,9542,43562,34564,780 238,0881,557,66136620,0699,4831,492,402211,9762,46260,88663,348 245,8531,563,51023420,3016,7851,499,187141,9902,49359,90562,398 257,2971,570,80232220,6217,6931,506,880162,0062,53659,44561,981 269,6861,580,47753121,14710,7051,518,14647"1,396"2,61258,32360,935 279,1241,589,58454821,69210,6531,528,799311,4272,06856,75059,358 287,9391,597,51645622,14910,3121,539,111281,4552,54154,40956,950 297,9181,605,41649322,6389,0301,548,141241,4792,49553,30155,796 306,4751,611,88533322,9708,0501,556,19121,5022,39351,79954,192 314,4641,616,34122623,1936,1101,562,30101,5022,28050,25852,538 on 4 july, university of canterbury mathematics professor and covid-19 modeller michael plank described the rapid spread of ba.5 variant cases throughout the country as a second wave of covid-19 infections. he estimated that the ba.5 variant would overtake the ba.2 variant as the dominant variant within new zealand in a matter of weeks. on 6 july, no update was released due to technical difficulties on the ministry of health's website. as a result, the daily update was delayed till the following day. on 7 july, the ministry of health updated the daily reports to include reinfections. on 19 july, public health agency deputy director-general dr. andrew old announced that the health ministry would be changing the reporting of deaths from people who had died of a covid-19 infection within 28 days to people who had either died as a result of a covid-19 infection or where covid-19 was a contributing factor to their death. on 25 july, the national death toll exceed 2,000, reaching 2,006. 836 covid-19 cases were in hospital, with christchurch hospital reporting 169 cases; its highest number since the covid-19 pandemic began. the following day, the ministry of health revised the definition of covid-19 deaths from deaths within 28 days of testing positive for covid-19 to deaths attributed to covid-19. august date cases reinfections recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunitytotal 15,5811,621,9168223,4987,0151,569,31601,5022,18748,91151,098 27,3881,629,29850524,0039,6311,578,947611,5632,03346,75548,788 36,7101,635,99247624,4779,0941,588,041261,5891,90044,46246,362 46,3621,642,33410124,9137,9141,595,955141,6031,80242,97444,776 55,5051,647,82639625,3037,8811,603,836211,6241,69340,67342,366 64,8941,652,71130725,6086,4441,610,280141,6381,54939,24440,793 73,5221,656,22921025,8184,6921,614,97201,6381,53738,08239,619 84,1741,660,40227926,0975,3291,620,30101,6381,45637,00738,463 96,1421,666,53946726,5647,3431,627,644501,6881,38435,82337,207 105,3971,671,92241326,9736,6831,634,327171,7051,34534,54535,890 115,0221,676,93833827,3096,3171,640,644211,7261,33833,23034,568 124,2881,681,20933427,6375,4871,646,13171,7331,29032,05533,345 133,7421,684,94630127,9414,8811,651,012171,7501,27730,90732,184 142,7621,687,70517328,1143,6471,654,65901,7501,19530,10131,296 153,5561,691,26125128,3654,0501,658,70901,7501,20429,59830,802 164,9801,696,23941028,7756,0781,664,787321,7821,17028,50029,670 174,6731,700,90037629,1475,3791,670,166121,7941,12427,81628,940 184,7041,705,59743929,5865,0541,675,220131,8071,08327,48728,570 193,9491,709,54139129,9774,3191,679,53981,8151,06527,12228,187 203,4251,712,95728730,2613,7121,683,25191,8241,09626,78627,882 212,2161,715,16517330,4292,9091,686,16001,8241,05726,12427,181 222,8461,718,00923430,6633,4161,689,57601,8241,02925,58026,609 233,8321,721,83639331,0554,9551,694,531171,84199824,46625,464 243,2871,725,11031631,3674,6621,699,19341,84596223,11024,072 252,9221,728,01828131,6474,6201,703,81301,84594021,14022,360 262,4881,730,49424631,8903,8721,707,685201,86596719,97720,944 272,2791,732,76522232,1123,4071,711,09241,86997718,82719,804 281,3941,734,15710832,2202,3351,713,42701,86994717,91418,861 291,7491,735,90215932,3792,7281,716,15501,86991016,69817,878 302,5921,738,49230632,6853,8061,719,961151,88489815,74916,647 312,3531,740,84028932,9703,2711,723,23291,89386114,85415,715 on 10 august, radio new zealand reported that 87 people had died of covid-19 in their homes since march 2022. according to figures released by the public health service te whatu ora (health new zealand), an average of four people have been dying from covid-19 in their homes since the outbreak of the omicron virus in new zealand. 92% of the deceased were aged over 60 years. in terms of ethnic composition, europeans accounted for over 50% of deaths, māori accounted for 18% of deaths, and pacific islanders accounted for 19% of deaths. in terms of vaccination status, 22% of the decease were unvaccinated, 25% were fully vaccinated, and 49% had received vaccine boosters. on 13 august, the ministry of health confirmed there were 546 covid-19 patients in hospital including ten in intensive care. the health ministry also confirmed that a total of 1,750 deaths could be attributed to covid-19, with an average of 14 deaths occurring over the past week. september date cases reinfections recoveries deaths active cases sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal bordercommunitytotal 12,2111,743,04225033,2172,8841,726,116151,90886314,15515,018 21,9021,744,93721033,4252,4811,728,59721,91079713,63314,430 31,7091,746,64017633,6002,2701,730,86751,91576013,09813,858 41,1031,747,73910133,7011,4631,732,33001,91574712,74713,494 51,4011,749,13914333,8431,6931,734,02301,91575512,44613,201 62,1491,751,28426734,1102,5561,736,579181,93374412,02812,772 71,9051,753,18224134,3522,3361,738,91561,93974811,58012,328 81,7421,754,90522034,5672,1981,741,11321,94169311,15811,851 91,5481,756,44319034,7551,8841,742,99731,94466010,84211,502 101,4771,757,91318334,9381,7011,744,69861,95065110,61411,265 119811,758,8849535,0291,1561,745,85401,95063410,44611,080 121,2301,760,11313535,1641,3351,747,18901,95061410,36010,974 132,0191,762,12525035,4122,1281,749,317121,96257610,27010,846 199,6061,769,6941,10836,26210,9491,758,138221,972--- 279,8091,779,4761,05237,3009,5221,767,660582,030--- on 13 september, the ministry of health announced that it would be shifting its release of covid-19 updates from daily reports to weekly reports. future covid reports will be published on monday, with the next due to be released on 19 september. october date cases reinfections recoveries deaths sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal 39,9751,789,4251,09838,3939,7761,777,43682,038 109,4051,800,6021,02139,6169,9261,787,362172,055 1714,3111,814,8901,46541,07411,1781,798,540102,065 2416,3991,831,2331,72742,76814,2451,812,785302,095 3120,5221,851,6892,48345,20816,3211,829,106112,106 on 13 october, the ministry of health reported that the new omicron subvariant bq.1.1 was discovered in a covid-19 positive person and south island wastewater samples. on 17 october, the ministry of health acknowledged that it had under-reported the number of people hospitalised with covid-19 throughout the entire pandemic in new zealand by 5,000. as a result, the official figure was revised from 14,043 to 19,476. by 27 october, the ministry of health reported that cases were averaging over 1,500 per day. 3,575 cases were reported that day while 3,923 cases were reported on 26 october. the ministry described this surge in cases as part of a "third wave" of covid-19 cases that year. november date cases reinfections recoveries deaths sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal 720,8021,872,4593,17348,37120,4661,849,572132,119 1421,5951,894,0293,88152,24520,7491,870,321352,154 2124,0681,918,07017,15457,11721,5321,891,853282,182 2827,0761,945,1176,54763,65624,0181,915,871302,212 by 7 november, radio new zealand reported that the weekly rolling average of covid-19 cases had risen by more than 60% since september 2022, leading to a third wave of covid infections. 15% of the 20,802 cases reported over the past week were re-infections. in addition, the hospitalisation and death rates increased during that period; with 322 in hospital, 8 in intensive care, and 13 deaths. in addition, the population's immunity to covid-19 was affected by long gaps between boosters and past infections and new overseas covid strains such as xbb and bq.1. in response, several public health experts including epidemiologist michael baker, immunologist anna brooks, and vaccinologist helen petousis-harris called for the reinstatement of mask mandates and government support for vaccine rollouts including the bivalent vaccine. december date cases reinfections recoveries deaths sources newtotal newtotal newtotal newtotal 534,5281,979,6149,09972,74327,0261,942,897232,235 1240,0982,019,68511,14283,87534,4911,977,388222,257 1942,7402,062,38412,80996,67540,0212,017,409312,288 2832,0102,094,3549,660106,32042,6642,060,073432,331 on 19 december, the government confirmed that new zealand's covid-19 settings would remain unchanged over the summer with positive cases expected to isolate for seven days. the seven day rolling average for new daily cases is 6,099, making it the worst week in the latest omicron outbreak. based on these figures, university of auckland computational evolution senior lecturer dr david welch estimated that two or three out of every 100 individuals was being infected. college for emergency medicine chair kate allan expressed concerns that the movement of tourists to the coromandel, thames, northland region, queenstown and wanaka could place hospitals under strain. university of otago epidemiologist dr michael baker advised people to wear respirator masks in shopping malls and supermarkets. traffic lights timeline date covid-19 protection framework (traffic lights) red orange green 1 january 2022 northland rest of north island, south island none 21 january 2022 none new zealand none 24 january 2022 new zealand none none 13 april 2022 none new zealand none 13 september 2022 none none none notes the 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. on 4 march 2022 this period was reduced to 10 days, and from 18 march it was reduced