Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern [Source: RNZ]
Six new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours in New Zealand, with one more death confirmed.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the six new cases – all confirmed cases – are related to travel or connected to existing clusters.
“The new combined total of new and probable cases in New Zealand is therefore 1451.”
There have now been 14 deaths from the coronavirus.
Dr Bloomfield said the latest death was a woman in her 80s, who was a resident of the Rosewood rest home and had underlying health conditions.
“Every person we lose to COVID-19 is a tragedy and with family and friends left without their loved one, and my thoughts and those of others I’m sure are with this woman’s family today and in the coming days.”
Dr Bloomfield said 11 people are in hospital, two of those are in ICU. The patients are in a stable condition.
A record number of tests were carried out yesterday, with 5289 tests, bringing the total number of tests to 94,467.
Dr Bloomfield said there will be testing of selected groups, including health workers and essential workers, this week, as part of the surveillance to make sure community cases were not being missed.
He said 1036 people have recovered from the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that with three of the six latest cases related to overseas travel, the government would continue to quarantine people arriving in the country for 14 days in government facilities during alert level three.
