21 November 2023
Mark Shelly
[FYI request #24337 email] Tēnā koe Mark,
Your request for Official information, reference: HNZ00030832
Thank you for your request for information received by Te Whatu Ora on 24 October 2023, asking
for the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“[1] Please provide statistics of the incidence of serious illness and death in NZ directly
caused by COVID-19 infection
We have consulted with Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health (the Ministry) and they have provided
the following links to information addressing this part of your request
: medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-
19/safety-report-46.asp and
health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/information-
release/h2023029281_response.pdf.
[2] and reports of serious illness and death reported to CARM as being associated with
COVID-19 vaccination. Please stratify by date range (from first COVID-19 vaccine approval
to now), age and sex.
We have consulted with Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health (the Ministry) and they have provided
the following links to information addressing this part of your request:
https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-46.asp Specifically, section “Summary of reported deaths”
[3] Please provide equivalent information as requested above for influenza and the
influenza vaccine. Please include influenza and influenza vaccine information from 2014.”
Te Whatu Ora does not hold the requested information. Therefore, we are refusing your request
under section 18(g) of the Act as the information you have is not held and are we not aware of
other entities subject to the Act that would.
However, you will be interested to know that statistics relating to deaths attributed to COVID-19,
where the cause is underlying or contributory, are available via our COVID-19 Trends and Insights
webpage
at tewhatuora.shinyapps.io/covid19/. Information such as deaths by age and sex and a
number of other demographic measures are also available here.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address]. If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Michael Cleary
Acting OIA Manager
Government Services
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz