Covid-19 coronavirus: No new Northland cases, PM lays out lockdown exit plan

Northland has no new Covid-19 cases as New Zealand's national daily case tally continues to drop.

As at 9am today, Northland has 20 positive cases (19 confirmed, one probable), including five cases who have recovered.

Northland positive case summary:

Case 1 (RECOVERED): Male, 20s. Departed Paris on flight EY38 to Abu Dhabi on March 14, then to Sydney on flight EY450 and then to Auckland on VA0141, arriving on March 16.
Case 2 (RECOVERED): Female, 40s. Departed Melbourne on flight JQ217 to Auckland on March 15.
Case 3: Female, 50s. Departed UK on flight EK38 to Dubai on March 19. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 for Auckland on March 21 (Previously in hospital, now discharged).
Case 4 (RECOVERED): Male, 60s. Departed Los Angeles on flight NZ1 on March 23 and arrived in Auckland on March 24.
Case 5 (RECOVERED): Female, 20s. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 on March 19.
Case 6 (RECOVERED): Female, 20s. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 and arrived in New Zealand on March 24.
Case 7: Female, 60s (probable). Travelled from the United States out of LAX on March 18 and arrived in New Zealand on March 19.
Case 8: Female, 40s.
Case 9: Female, 20s. Departed Canada on flight GB615 on March 23 and arrived in New Zealand on the same date.
Case 10: Male, 50s. Departed United States and arrived in New Zealand on March 22.
Case 11: Female, 30s. No international travel.
Case 12: Female, 40s. No international travel.
Case 13: Male, 50s.
Case 14: Male, 60s.
Case 15: Male, 10-14. No international travel
Case 16: Male, 30s. No international travel.
Case 17: Female, 60s. No international travel.
Case 18: Female, 40s. No international travel.
Case 19: Female, 40s.
Case 20: Female, 70+

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced 29 new national cases nationally, 23 confirmed and six probable. There were no further deaths related to Covid-19 and 14 people were in hospital, four in intensive care.

It was the lowest number of daily cases since March 23 and was the fourth consecutive day of a decrease in new cases in New Zealand. In total, there are 1239 positive cases nationwide which includes 317 recovered cases.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced just 29 new cases of Covid-19 today. Photo / File

With reference to flu vaccines, Bloomfield said there were good supplies in every region and there were sufficient numbers for those with priority.

Bloomfield again urged people who required medical attention for whatever reason to contact their GP or Healthline.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulated the country on making it through two weeks of lockdown.

"In the face of the greatest threat to human health we have seen in over a century, Kiwis have quietly and collectively implemented a nationwide wall of defence," she said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern laid out New Zealand's plan for the second half of lockdown. Photo / File

Referencing modelling due to be released later today by Te Punaha Matatini, Ardern said it suggested the current controls at alert level 4 had had a significant impact on new case numbers and the country was on track to meet its most optimistic scenario.

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

However, Ardern impressed the importance of upholding lockdown rules for the rest of the four weeks and she set out three key areas for keeping New Zealand's cases low - border control, contact tracing and testing.

Ardern announced all people entering the country now would be required to spend a minimum of 14 days of quarantine or managed self-isolation in a Government-approved facility.

Regarding contact tracing, Ardern said the Ministry of Health was working on a locally developed app to assist the process with possible help to come from the Singaporean Government's Bluetooth-based app, TraceTogether, in the future.

For testing, Ardern said New Zealand would maintain high levels of testing and supplement it with additional testing to ensure greater levels of certainty around the decline in the spread of the virus.

"With these three pillars, border controls, rigorous testing and contact tracing, we have what we need to win this marathon," she said.

Ardern also said that on April 20, two days before the end of four-week lockdown, the Cabinet would make a decision regarding New Zealand's alert level, giving businesses two days to plan their future.

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