Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield shared an update on COVID-19 cases as New Zealand enters the first day of lockdown today (Thursday March 26). 

“There are 78 new cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand being reported today,” he said. “This is comprised of 73 new confirmed cases and five new probable cases and that is at 9:30am this morning.”

The details of these cases were not immediately available but Ashley said more information including each cases’ age and gender would be shared soon, as well as a geographical map to show the areas where cases were located. 

“...The combined total of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand today is 283,” Ashley said.

Twenty-seven individuals have recovered from COVID-19 infection and, of the seven in hospital, all are in a stable condition, Ashley said. There are three in hospitals in Wellington, two in Nelson, one in the Waikato and one in Northland. 

While the majority of cases were still linked to international travel, the Ministry of Health was investigating “several possible clusters”, Ashley said. 

“As of yesterday, there is the Marist College in Auckland and the World Hereford Conference that was in Queenstown earlier this month,” he said. “There [are] also a number of people who were at a wedding in Wellington recently, [and] a group of people who were part of a trip to the United States. There is also a group that appears to be associated with contact from someone who was on the Ruby Princess cruise ship, and that group is in Hawkes Bay… And also a rest home in Hamilton.”

Two, or possibly three, of the World Hereford Conference delegates who tested positive attended the Wanaka A&P Show on Friday March 13.

Yesterday 2,417 tests were processed, taking the total to 12,683. “Our laboratories are continuing to work hard to process and report test results quickly.”

Ashley also reported some changes to the pharmaceutical schedule: “This relates to ensuring all people can access the pharmaceuticals that they need over the coming month”. 

From later tonight, pharmacists will be required to limit dispensing of all funded pharmaceuticals to one month’s supply, or three months’ supply for oral contraceptives.

“There is no problem with the supply chain at the moment, but we do not want to get into a position where some people are unable to get the pharmaceuticals they need because others have them stockpiled at home.”

Ashley said it is expected that the number of COVID-19 cases will continue to increase for at least the next ten days. 

“We are all in this together,” he said. “If we all do our bit and help to break the chain of transmission it will start to decline and we will be able to get on top of this.”

PHOTO: Supplied