Covid 19 coronavirus: no new Northland case, 9 nationally as nation awaits lockdown decision

As the nation awaits the Government's announcement today at 4pm whether the country is going down to alter level 3 this week, the Northland District Health Board confirmed no new cases of Covid-19 in the region, keeping the total at 27.

Nationally, the numbers have increased by nine, made up of seven new confirmed cases and two new probable cases as at 9am today.

The new combined total of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand is now 1440.

While the Ministry of Health reports a new case of Covid-19 on their website, Dr Catherine Jackson, the NDHB Medical Officer of Health, said that that person belonged to the Auckland region and would be noted as being in Auckland as of tomorrow.

One confirmed case remains a stable condition in Whangārei Hospital, while 10 of the infected have recovered and 17 Northlanders are currently self-isolating.

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Of the confirmed cases eight identified as Māori, 18 as European and one as other.

Out of 2862 tests carried out in Northland to date, 2141 tests were conducted at the Community Based Testing Centres.

The Ministry of Health reported no additional deaths, keeping New Zealand's Covid-19 death toll at 12.

There are now 974 people with Covid-19 who have recovered – an increase of 62 from yesterday.

Fourteen people are in hospital, including three people in critical conditions – one each in Middlemore, Dunedin and North Shore hospitals.

Two of those people are in critical conditions. The ministry didn't identify any new clusters.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

The ministry said that of four cases they reported today, they would continue to investigate links to confirmed cases.

Yesterday, 3081 tests were processed, and in total there's been 86,305 processed.

The ministry also said there had been several efforts around wider community testing by public health and primary care.

Police yesterday reminded Northlanders that we were still in alert level 4 until further notice from Government after noticing an increase in people flouting lockdown rules recently.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield will update the nation today at 4pm whether the lockdown remains at alter level 4 after Wednesday or if we go down to level 3.

Cabinet started meeting at 10.30am to make that decision, assessing four key criteria; low rate of community transmission, effective measures at the border stopping new infection, the current tracing and testing capacity, and if the health system is equipped with sufficient supplies.

Ardern said yesterday a move to level 3 would not be a return to pre-Covid 19 life, and the ongoing battle was a long-term one.

Returning to a normal social life would undo the good work done so far, she added.
"We are carving our own path, but I have confidence we'll make the right decision."