New Zealand’s third week in lockdown was it's most deadly, but as new case numbers continue to fall, NZ remains optimistic that Level 4 restrictions may be lifted on schedule.
Covid-19 has claimed two more New Zealand lives as the country's new daily case numbers hit single figures.
A man in his 90s died in Waikato Hospital yesterday, after being admitted to hospital on Saturday. The man was linked to the Matamata cluster. His family was unable to be with him in hospital.
The other death was a woman in her 80s at Burwood Hospital in Christchurch. She was one of 20 Rosewood Rest Home resident who were transferred to the hospital on April 6. She was the seventh death from the facility. The country's Covid-19 death toll is now 11.
Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay. Photo / File
There were five other cases from Rosewood at Burwood which remain stable as at 1pm today.
New Zealand's new case information made for encouraging reading as only eight new cases were announced by Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay at Parliament today.
The new cases were made of two confirmed and six probable cases. All were linked to other confirmed cases or known outbreaks. It took the country's combined case total to 1409.
Northland's tally remained at 26 (24 confirmed and two probable) - now in its fourth day of no further cases. Of the region's cases, 17 were European, seven Māori, one from the Pacific and another one was Middle Eastern/Latin American/African.
As at 9am today, 816 people had recovered - an increase of 46 on yesterday. There were 14 people in hospital with three in intensive care - in Christchurch, Dunedin and North Shore - two of whom were in critical condition.
With reference to testing, McElnay said 4241 tests had been processed yesterday, taking the country's total to 74,401 to date.
She confirmed testing would increase across New Zealand's district health boards with teams in Queenstown, Waikato and Canterbury doing targeted testing to get more information about community transmission.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said today's announced deaths were a sobering reminder to stay home and break the chain of transmission.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson. Photo / File
With the Government announcing alert level 3 rules yesterday, Robertson implored people to remember the country was still in alert level 4 and to not breach those guidelines until an official change was made.
Robertson confirmed $9.9 billion had been paid out to support 1.6 million workers through the wage subsidy.
Regarding hunting, Robertson said the Covid-19 website had an "error" on it about hunting being banned under level 3. He said it wasn't banned and the Government was working on what the risks were and a decision was yet to be made.
With reference to sport, Robertson said professional sport, specifically contact sports, would not be held at level 3, but there was more work to be done around what was possible at level 2.
