133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
31/08/2021
Paul Jones
By email: [FYI request #16489 email]
Ref:
H202111233
Tēnā koe Paul
Transfer of your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 24 August 2021
for:
“1) Provide a breakdown of "Confirmed Active" cases for the "Total since first NZ case" for
each of the categorisations used in the definition above being;
a) PCR validated Specimen, that was NOT weak positive,
b) PCR validated Specimen, that was weak positive and required second confirmed
sampling,
c) PCR validated Specimen confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 sequencing,
d) Significant rise in IgG antibody level
2) For all "Confirmed Active" cases for the "Total since first NZ case" provide a break
down of cases into the fol owing groups;
a) Asymptomatic cases,
b) Symptomatic cases
3) For the Symptomatic cases at (2) provide a total count of the clinical criteria symptoms,
being:
a) fever (at least 38˚C)
b) new or worsening cough
c) sore throat
d) shortness of breath
e) sneezing and runny nose (coryza)
f) anosmia (loss of sense of smell) or dysgeusia (altered sense of taste).”
The Ministry of Health does not hold any information relating to your request; however, I have
been advised that this information is held by the Institute of Environmental Science and
Research (ESR). For this reason, I have decided to transfer your request to their office under
section 14 of the Act. You can expect a response from ESR in due course.
Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Nick Allan
Manager, OIA Services
Office of the Director General
Page 2 of 4
Copy of OIA request
From: Paul Jones
<[FYI request #16489 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 24 August 2021 12:54
To: OIA Requests
<[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Covid-19 Case count for symptomatic and asymptomatic
persons
Dear Ministry of Health,
The following URL lists Covid-19 Case count statistics, at the time of this writing there are 2698
"Confirmed Active" cases "Total since first NZ case".
https:/ www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-
19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-current-cases
A definition for "Confirmed Active" cases is provided in the following URL.
https:/ www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-
19-information-health-professionals/case-definition-and-clinical-testing-guidelines-covid-19
From this page we quote the definition;
---
A case that has laboratory definitive evidence. Laboratory definitive evidence requires at least
one of the following:
* detection of SARS-CoV-2 from a clinical specimen using a validated NAAT (PCR). Very weak
positive results wil only be labelled a confirmed case when the result is confirmed on a second
sample.
* detection of coronavirus from a clinical specimen using pan-coronavirus NAAT (PCR) and
confirmation as SARS-CoV-2 by sequencing
* significant rise in IgG antibody level to SARS-CoV-2 between paired sera.
---
Would you please;
1) Provide a breakdown of "Confirmed Active" cases for the "Total since first NZ case" for each
of the categorisations used in the definition above being;
a) PCR validated Specimen, that was NOT weak positive,
b) PCR validated Specimen, that was weak positive and required second confirmed sampling,
c) PCR validated Specimen confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 sequencing,
d) Significant rise in IgG antibody level
2) For all "Confirmed Active" cases for the "Total since first NZ case" provide a break down of
cases into the following groups;
a) Asymptomatic cases,
b) Symptomatic cases
Page 3 of 4
3) For the Symptomatic cases at (2) provide a total count of the clinical criteria symptoms,
being;
a) fever (at least 38˚C)
b) new or worsening cough
c) sore throat
d) shortness of breath
e) sneezing and runny nose (coryza)
f) anosmia (loss of sense of smell) or dysgeusia (altered sense of taste).
Yours faithfully,
Paul Jones
Page 4 of 4
Document Outline
