For a third consecutive day, there are no additional confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 to report in New Zealand.
To date, New Zealand has five confirmed cases based on positive test results and two probable cases. Of the confirmed cases, one patient is in Auckland Hospital and continues to improve. Planning continues for their discharge. Of the other confirmed cases, none requires hospital level care.
"Protecting the health of New Zealanders is our number one priority. It's good the key public health measures of strict border controls, self-isolation for people who have come from overseas hot-spots or been in contact with local cases have had the desired impact so far," Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said.
"Now is the time to be even more vigilant. Everyone can help by ensuring good health etiquette – washing hands for twenty seconds, sneezing into your arm and not touching your face. Fundamental to this is not putting yourself or others at risk if you are unwell - not going to work or being out in public if you are sick.
"All of us have a role to play in stopping further spread."
North Shore hospital patient discharged
The woman being cared for as a probable case at North Shore Hospital who was on a cruise of the Grand Princess (11 – 21 February) has now been discharged home and is under the care of her GP.
North Shore Hospital and Auckland Regional Public Health Service are also in daily contact with the patient and the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre is liaising with her family to check on any wellbeing needs.
The first of the North Shore Hospital staff stood down and asked to self-isolate as a result of this patient's earlier hospitalisation will be returning to work tomorrow.
Other staff will progressively return. If they remain well, all staff will be back at work by Monday 16 March.
There has been no impact on clinical care from these stand downs, and North Shore Hospital continues to provide all services as usual.
The test result from the one remaining passenger being tested for possible COVID-19 exposure while also previously on the Grand Princess has come back negative. This passenger remains in self-isolation as a precaution.
There are a number of other cruise ship movements which continue to involve New Zealanders:
- 4 New Zealanders are currently on the Grand Princess. We are not aware of any health concerns around these people.
- The New Zealand Embassy in Rome has made enquiries around MSC Opera and found that rumours of the quarantine of the vessel are unfounded.
- 1 New Zealander is reported on the quarantined Asara on a Nile River cruise. We are not aware of any health concerns around this individual.
Testing
- 5 confirmed cases
- 2 probable cases
- 281 negatives
- 47 cases classified as under investigation
Healthline & self-isolation
Healthline continues to manage a large number of calls on COVID-19 and has now registered a total of 8,963 people or households for self-isolation since the process began.
There are currently 2,334 registrations (people or households) for self-isolation. An additional 5,929 have completed isolation.
