Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield and Education Minister Chris Hipkins. [Source: RNZ]
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield and Education Minister Chris Hipkins are set to provide details on the latest COVID-19 cases.
They will also provide details on how the partial re-opening of schools and early childhood centres will work.
Dr Bloomfield said the number of cases in New Zealand increased by five, with two new confirmed and three probable cases, all linked to existing cases.
A woman in her 70s has also died – she was at a rest home in Te Atatu but had been transferred to Waitakere hospital. She had an underlying health condition and died yesterday.
This brings New Zealand’s total cases to 1445. There are now 1006 recovered people with 12 still in hospital, and 3 are in intensive care.
A total 89,503 tests have now been carried out.
Hipkins said most children will continue distance learning under alert level 3.
Children who can stay home should stay home, he said, while at-risk staff – including those over 70 – should stay home and will be supported to do so.
Education for those in years 11-13 will continue to learn remotely, while university students in flats or hostels can stay there with strict social distancing precautions.
If students went home before the start of lockdown they must stay there.
Schools will have a teacher-only day on 28 April, with children to attend from the next day – however, some schools may need to take longer on their preparations before re-opening.
The total number of confirmed and probable cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in New Zealand increased yesterday by nine to 1440, with 974 people recovered and 14 people in hospitals.
