Docusign Envelope ID: BD3B4503-08EB-4414-9B47-519E2FE2D4E8
4 March 2025
By Email:
[FYI request #30013 email]
Dear Daniel,
Official Information Request for COVID 19 Genomics Graphs
I refer to your official information request dated 9 February 2025 for the following information:
“please provide the "COVID-19 genomics insights dashboard (CGID)" reports for September 2024
through to January 2025.
The last CGID that is published on the ESR website is from August 2024 at
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.esr.cri.nz%2Fdigital-
library%2Fcovid-19-genomics-insights-dashboard-51-august-
2024%2F&data=05%7C02%7COIA%26PrivacyRequests%40esr.cri.nz%7C7194c0ef05df4030457208dd
4949c437%7C1aa55b225f224505bad3bafb5f7a34cd%7C0%7C0%7C638747303416646339%7CUnkn
own%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFO
IjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=nMN5nwDnVQkfbbrY0HIT0ept5ZUDsFi0h
HCL4S1j1zE%3D&reserved=0
Please provide or upload the CGID reports for September 2024 through to January 2025 to the ESR
website where they are publicly accessible.”
ESR Response to your Request
ESR is refusing your request under section 18(e) of the Official Information Act (the Act) where a
request may be refused if:
“(e) the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist. “
ESR scientists have advised that for the period September 2024 through to January 2025, no reports
were produced for the COVID-19 genomics insights dashboard (CGID).
Prior to August 2024, a COVID-19 report was produced monthly for distribution to the public health
sphere. These were put together by ESR due to high public interest. As a result of changing
circumstances, they are no longer produced.
However for COVID-19 data, you can refer to the covSPECTRUM website which is an interactive
platform aimed at investigating and identifying variants of COVID. This can be found in the following
link:
New Zealand - covSPECTRUM
COVID-19 genomic data as well as other priority pathogens, can be found on the international
GISAID public database. This can be found in the following link:
GISAID - gisaid.org
Docusign Envelope ID: BD3B4503-08EB-4414-9B47-519E2FE2D4E8
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours Sincerely,
John McCarthy
Interim General Manager Health Security
