133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
8 May 2023
K Thompson
By email: [FYI request #22572 email]
Ref:
H2023024236
Tēnā koe
Transfer of 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 26 April 2023. You requested:
“Please can you inform us how it was determined that 29 people in New Zealand had died
of Covid (delta variant) in 2020, 2021 and early 2022,, as was reported in May 2022,
instead of the earlier reported 52 deaths from Covid (as was reported for example in
March 2022).
Was this over-counting of Covid delta deaths due to wrong diagnosis, and, if so, how was
this misdiagnosis determined after the deaths had occurred, at a later date (circa May
2022)? Presumably the over-counting of Covid deaths could not be determined by
autopsy?”
The requested information is more closely connected to the functions of Te Whatu Ora – Health
New Zealand. For this reason, I have decided to transfer your request to their agency under
section 14(b)(ii) of the Act. You can expect a response from Te Whatu Ora 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, nab
Jan Torres
Manager, OIA Services
Government and Executive Services | Te Pou Whakatere Kāwanatanga
COPY OF OIA REQUEST
From: K Thompson <[FYI request #22572 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 26 April 2023 17:18
To: OIA Requests <[Ministry of Health request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Covid Deaths
Dear Ministry of Health,
Please can you inform us how it was determined that 29 people in New Zealand had died of
Covid (delta variant) in 2020, 2021 and early 2022,, as was reported in May 2022, instead of the
earlier reported 52 deaths from Covid (as was reported for example in March 2022).
Was this over-counting of Covid delta deaths due to wrong diagnosis, and, if so, how was this
misdiagnosis determined after the deaths had occurred, at a later date (circa May
2022)? Presumably the over-counting of Covid deaths could not be determined by autopsy?
Yours faithfully,
K Thompson
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