There are no new cases of COVID-19 in the Southern district or anywhere else in the country today (Tuesday May 5). 

The Southern district has not seen any new cases since April 18.

The district still has the second-highest number of cases of COVID-19 nationwide (216). With twelve more than Southern, Waitemata has the most (228). 

Today is also the second day in a row New Zealand has had no new cases, marking a new milestone. 

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said this was “very encouraging” but urged caution.

“The worst thing we could do is celebrate success prematurely and jeopardise the gains we have made,” Ashley said.

“Stay the course and stay in your bubble – don’t squander what we have achieved by giving the virus a chance to spread in our communities that we have worked so hard to protect.”

One case that had previously been reported as a probable case of COVID-19 has been reclassified today as not a case.

This means New Zealand’s overall total of confirmed and probable cases decreases by one, to 1,486.

New Zealand’s total number of confirmed cases remains at 1,137. 

Eighty-eight per cent of all confirmed and probable cases have recovered.

There are still four people in hospital with COVID-19 infection, and none of them are in ICU.

The Ministry of Health noted that today is World Hand Hygiene Day. Hand hygiene is crucially important for many reasons – to prevent spread of COVID-19, to prevent spread of other diseases and to help fight the rise of antibiotic resistance.

“One of the best things we can all do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to regularly and frequently wash our hands,” a Ministry of Health representative said.

PHOTO: Supplied