New Zealand’s total number of deaths from the COVID-19 virus increased again today (Saturday September 5) to 24 with the death of another person in Auckland.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the death of the former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Dr Joseph Williams QSO, who passed away last night.

Dr Williams, who was in his 80s, was a widely regarded member of health services in both New Zealand and the Cook Islands and patron of the Pasifika Medical Association.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield described him as a well-known politician, physician and published author.  

“Dr Williams was seen as a leading figure in the Cook Islands medical community and he will be sadly missed. Our thoughts are with his family and community at this time of loss and grief.  

"Today’s sad news again reinforces the importance of our shared vigilance against COVID-19, the very serious consequences the virus can carry with it, and the measures we all need to take to stop the spread, break any chain of transmission and prevent deaths."

In addition to the death, health officials also reported three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today; one is an imported case detected in a managed isolation facility and the other two are community cases linked to the South Auckland August cluster

One community case has been linked as a close contact to the Americold household sub-cluster and the other is a close contact of a confirmed case linked to the Mount Roskill Evangelical Church sub-cluster.

There are 77 people linked to all these community clusters who remain at the Auckland quarantine facility, which includes 60 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The imported case is a young child linked to a previously identified case who arrived from India on 23 August and was already in quarantine. 

Two patients with COVID-19 remain in hospital today, one of whom is in ICU.

With today’s three new cases, New Zealand’s total number of active cases is 112. Of those, 38 are imported cases in MIQ facilities, and 74 are community cases.

PHOTO: Supplied