New Zealand has recorded its second coronavirus-related death. The death was of a woman in her 90s, who died in Burwood Hospital in Christchurch.
New Zealand has recorded its second coronavirus-related death, as the Easter break arrives and the Government and other nations grapple with how to ease lockdown restrictions. Get all the important news and read the full stories in the links below.
Key developments in NZ
• New Zealand has recorded its second coronavirus-related death, a woman in her 90s who died in Burwood Hospital in Christchurch. She was one of the residents from the Rosewood rest home who had been hospitalised earlier in the week, and had a number of age-related health conditions, Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay said. McElnay also reported 44 new cases of Covid-19, of which 23 are confirmed cases and 21 are probables. In total, 373 people have recovered - an increase of 56 on yesterday. The total number of cases in New Zealand is 1283. There are 16 people in hospital, four of them in ICU - two of whom are in a critical condition.
Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay. Photo / Mark Mitchell
• The coronavirus outbreak at the Christchurch rest home is thought to have infected at least 20 others, including staff. New Zealand's second coronavirus-related fatality came from a cluster at the Rosewood Rest Home and Hospitals at Woodham Rd in Linwood – Christchurch's first cluster. McElnay couldn't say how many people at the rest home had been tested but said investigations were under way to find out how the outbreak started. On the Ministry of Health website the cluster's origin is defined as "overseas exposure". Some people displaying symptoms at the rest home hadn't been tested because of their particular vulnerabilities and the distress it would cause them, the ministry said, but they were being treated as probable cases.
Police stopping motorists at a roadblock at Athenree, near Waihi Beach. Photo / Alan Gibson
• The roads are quiet and police say the majority of New Zealanders are adhering to the national lockdown rules over the long weekend - so far. The Herald joined police at a checkpoint just out of Warkworth this morning where every driver was stopped and questioned about why they were out on the road. Most were out for legitimate or essential business. There were no arrests or official warnings given, and Sergeant Andy Wallace said generally people were being extremely compliant and urged them to continue.
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Around the world
• Governments worldwide are grappling with how to begin easing the coronavirus lockdowns imposed to stem the spread of the disease which has killed more than 83,000 people. There are fears that continued strict social distancing not only risks a backlash from those forced to live with tight restrictions, but will also do lasting damage to national economies. But while some countries have announced ways their lockdowns may be relaxed in the weeks to come, governments and health authorities around the world warn it must be done in a way that avoids a sudden resurgence in the spread of Covid-19. Here is how some notable nations are planning to relax their lockdowns.
• American intelligence officers knew a new contagion was sweeping Wuhan in November but couldn't get the message through to the top. According to ABC News, a series of "red flags" began to appear over Wuhan, but their message repeatedly hit brick walls. Analysts concluded it could be a "cataclysmic event", but despite claims it was briefed multiple times to the US chain of command, the Pentagon has denied the report's existence.
Business update
• Finance Minister Grant Robertson says lessons from the hasty move into level 4 will be used to assess which businesses may be able to operate as the threat level of Covid-19 is lowered. The Cabinet is set to decide on April 20 whether to drop out of level 4, and Robertson told the Herald those 10 days, as well as the lessons from the move up the alert levels, would help develop better guidance this time, while he hoped significantly more economic activity would be able to take place.
• The last thing the country needs at the moment is scammers exploiting the pandemic to try to rob already down-on-their-knees New Zealand businesses. But it's happening. Anne Gibson reports.
• The Warriors could be back in action in the NRL in as little as seven weeks, though CEO Cameron George concedes there is a lot to work through before that becomes even close to reality. May 28 is the new target date for the competition to get underway again, with all clubs likely to be based in Sydney, if the current interstate travel restrictions in Australia remain in place. However, the Warriors have the greatest obstacles to overcome, needing to work out how they can compete, given the current trans-Tasman border restrictions.
Check our graphic for the latest case numbers in New Zealand.
