133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
16 November 2023
Erika Whittome
By email: [FYI request #24498 email]
Ref:
H2023032538
Tēnā koe Erika
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 22 October 2023 for information regarding COVID-19.
You requested:
“What is the infection fatality rate and the case fatality rate (CFR) for Covid-19?
For example:
Legionnaires' disease has a CFR of about 15%.
The Bubonic plague in Europe resulted in the death of 30% to 90% of those infected
Ebola virus disease, has a CFR as high as 90%.”
From 1 January to 26 August 2022, the case fatality risk (CFR); that is the proportion of
individuals who die among those who have been diagnosed for COVID-19 was 107.0 per
100,000
reported cases. Please note that in Aotearoa New Zealand, not all diagnoses may
have been counted due to self-reporting of rapid antigen test results. This would mean that
the true CFR may be somewhat lower than reported.
The most recent information on CFR for COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand is publicly
available her
e:https:/ www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/covid-
19_mortality_in_aotearoa_inequities_in_risk_september_2022_29_sept.v2.pdf
The infection fatality risk (IFR), that is the proportion of individuals who die among those who
have been infected with COVID-19 (not just diagnosed/reported), is not available in Aotearoa
New Zealand. However, there are some international estimates. The following article
summarises some of the work done to generate IFR estimates:
https:/ www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02867-1/fulltext.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel
free to contact the OIA Services Team on:
[email address]
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-of icial-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Louise Karageorge
Group Manager, Intelligence, Surveil ance and Knowledge
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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