133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
11 November 2022
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
P McKenna
By email: [FYI request #20214 email]
Ref:
H2022014787
Tēnā koe P McKenna
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(the Ministry of Health) on 13 October 2022 in response to information released to you on 7
September 2022 under reference H2022010150. You requested:
“I have obtained the report "COVID-19 MORTALITY IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND-
Inequities in Risk". I assume this is the report you are referring to.
This report does not contain any of the data relating to the calculation of vaccine efficacy
that Mr Bloomfield highlighted.
Please supply the number of deaths, by age, and corresponding population size for each
vaccination category(boosted,fully vaccinated, etc) and please supply separated figures
for the single dose vaccinated and unvaccinated rather than the combined 'not fully
vaccinated' figures if possible. If available please supply the same figures by ethinicity,
deprivation, and commorbity rating.”
Methods and results were provided in the report titled “
COVID-19 MORTALITY IN AOTEAROA
NEW ZEALAND-Inequities in Risk". These methods were reviewed and updated following the
provisional analysis and are also based on substantially more data. Therefore, the preliminary
estimates presented to the former Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield vary slightly
from the results presented in the report.
The total number of deaths where COVID-19 has been officially coded as the underlying cause,
broken down by age and ethnicity is publicly available on the Manatū Hauora website here:
www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-case-
demographics#deaths.
Manatū Hauora does not currently have a dataset for all deaths from COVID-19 broken down by
vaccination status. Creating this information involves analysis and linkage of data across
multiple datasets. We estimate this data will be available for release in early 2023.
Information on “deprivation” is not recorded when an individual dies of COVID-19. Therefore,
your request for information regarding deprivation is refused under section 18(g)(i) of the Act as
the information is not held by Manatū Hauora or any other agency subject to the Act.
Detailed data on the health status of recent deaths of people with COVID-19 is not reported
nationally in real time. Due to the shift from active management of cases during Phase 3 of the
Omicron response, co-morbidities information is now primarily collected in hospitals and is
provided to Manatū Hauora by the Districts within 21 days of the month of discharge. Due to this
lag and other reporting processes, Manatū Hauora is processing this data and will release it
when it is able to do so. The Ministry acknowledges the high level of public interest in the
release of this information and is looking at providing as much information as possible while
preserving privacy. The extent to which COVID-19 contributed to a person’s death is recorded
on our website here:
www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-
statistics/covid-19-case-demographics#deaths.; these figures will continue to change as these
deaths are reviewed and updated.
I trust this information fulfils your request. 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.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests. Nāku noa, nā
Dave Henderson
Interim Group Manager, Intelligence, Surveillance and Knowledge
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
Page 2 of 2
