A drop in the number of new cases, no more deaths and no new cases in Northland, but concerns over the country's aged care residents were among the focuses of today's Covid-19 update.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield fronted today's Covid-19 virus update and announced that there were 18 new coronavirus cases across the country in the 24 hours to 9am - 14 confirmed cases and four probable cases - drop on the 29 cases in the previous 24 hours.
Bloomfield said there were now 1330 cases in New Zealand, with 471 of those who had the virus now fully recovered. There have been four Covid-19-linked deaths, all elderly people.
There are 14 people in hospital, one is in a critical condition with five in ICU across the country.
There are 25 cases in Northland. There are no cases in Northland hospitals with 19 self-isolating at home and six had recovered. Of the cases, six were Māori and 18 non-Māori (one unknown).
Bloomfield said there are three significant clusters in aged residential care facilities and the deaths over the last few days showed this group was vulnerable to a particularly poor outcome.
Priority work was happening in this area to protect vulnerable people, he said. Bloomfield said he wrote to all DHB chief executives, including in Northland, to systematically assess the readiness of all aged care facilities in their areas.
They've been asked to reduce any risk, including PPE stocks and how its used. Guidance on measures aged facilities should have in place were updated yesterday, Bloomfield said.
Also, he said, anyone who is sick, should not go to work.
A report from Healthline showed many people had serious symptoms by the time they called and Bloomfield urged anyone who was unwell to seek care without delay.
They could do this by calling their GP or Healthline, he said. Bloomfield said healthcare was always an essential service which people could seek out.
On schools re-opening, Bloomfield said they were providing advice to the Ministry of Education to ensure students and staff could social distance and contact trace.
Schools are being advised they could re-open to some students by April 29, if the lockdown is lifted on April 20.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said this morning he wanted to keep expectations reasonable and stressed the decision would be based on public health advice.
