No new cases of COVID-19 reported in New Zealand today (May 16) indicates the Southern district has reached the milestone of no new cases recorded for the past 28 days.

The Southern district reported yesterday a total 216 cases; four remain active cases; 210 have recovered and two are deceased.

Earlier this month, Southern District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Susan Jack said no new cases in the Southern region for 28 days signalled the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Southern district was over.

“For the Southern outbreak to be declared over there needed to be no new cases for the duration of two incubation cycles for COVID-19. The incubation cycle for COVID-19 was 14 days,” she said.

However, as New Zealand transitions into its first weekend under level two, everyone is reminded to remain vigilant and maintain the good social habits learned and implemented since the outbreak began, the Ministry of Health said.

With domestic travel resuming, it is vital everyone ensures COVID-19 doesn’t spread from one region to another by adhering to the key health measures: keep washing and sanitising hands; keep your distance from other people when you’re out in public, including on transport; keep your social gatherings to a maximum of 10 people; keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen for contact tracing purposes; and, most importantly, if you’re sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Don’t socialise. And if you have symptoms of cold or flu call your doctor or Healthline immediately and get tested.

With no additional cases today, New Zealand’s combined total of confirmed and probable cases remains at 1,498, of which 1,148 are confirmed cases of COVID-19.

An estimated 95 per cent of all New Zealand’s cases are now considered recovered and no additional deaths are reported. 

Today there are three people receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19 – one each in Auckland, Middlemore and Waikato hospitals. None of these patients are in ICU.

PHOTO: Supplied