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.
Public health teams are following up all possible contacts of Northland's latest Covid-19 case, who is in Whangārei Hospital, as New Zealand's virus-related death toll rose to 11.
A Māori man in his 70s, in a stable condition as at 4.30pm yesterday, was admitted to the Northland facility after presenting quite unwell with flu-like symptoms. He had been unwell for several days before seeking care.
Northland's latest coronavirus case is in Whangārei Hospital. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The case was confirmed after yesterday's 1pm Ministry of Health daily briefing.
Northland medical officer of health Dr Catherine Jackson said the public health teams were following up all the man's possible contacts, the current alert level 4 restrictions working in their favour.
"After initial discussions it appears his bubble is quite small which is positive," she said.
"He has less than five close contacts who are all now in quarantine and in regular contact with public health."
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Jackson said the man had observed the alert level 4 restrictions and would remain in isolation until he was no longer infectious. Jackson assured the public that the man's close contacts would not be moving about in their community.
Jackson said the Northland District Health Board would not be releasing additional information about the latest case.
The new case took Northland's Covid-19 case tally to 27, including 25 confirmed cases and two probable. Nine cases had recovered. Of the cases, 17 were European, eight were Māori and two were classed as "other".
As of yesterday, there had been 2608 Covid-19 tests taken across Northland, including 1941 at the region's seven community-based testing centres.
Head to the end of the story for more information on the centres.
Of all of those tested to date, 46 per cent had self-identified as Māori.
Nationally, only eight further Covid-19 cases were announced yesterday. However, there were two deaths, taking New Zealand's death toll to 11.
A man in his 90s died in Waikato Hospital on Thursday, after being admitted to hospital last 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 residents who were transferred to the hospital on April 6.
She was the seventh death from the facility. There were five other cases from Rosewood at Burwood Hospital who remain in stable conditions as at 1pm yesterday.
Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay. Photo / File
Of the eight new positive cases, two were confirmed and six were probable. Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay said all were linked to other confirmed cases or known outbreaks. It took the country's combined case total to 1409.
As at 9am yesterday, 816 people had recovered - an increase of 46 on the day before. There were 14 people in hospital (not counting the Northlander) with three in intensive care - in Christchurch, Dunedin and North Shore. Two of them were in critical condition.
With the Government announcing alert level 3 rules on Thursday, Finance Minister Grant 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.
