Two cases in top of the south
A Ministry of Health update has revealed the Nelson Marlborough region now has two cases of coronavirus.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed the new cases during a media update at 11am on Saturday.
Nelson Marlborough Health communications manager Stephanie Gray said both cases were travel related and not indicative of a local community outbreak.
A 20-year-old woman is in selfisolation at her Nelson home after returning to Nelson on Flight 5065 from Auckland on March 16.
Gray said risk to the community was very low ‘‘because she went immediately into isolation upon her return to Nelson’’.
A 67-year-old woman has been in isolation at Blenheim’s Wairau Hospital and will be discharged soon to complete her isolation at home.
The Nelson Marlborough Public
Health Service (NMPHS) has established her movements and contract tracing has been mostly completed, Gray said.
The Nelson cases are among 13 new cases confirmed on Saturday, within Nelson, Wellington, Taranaki, Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu¯ and Taupo¯ .
This brings the number of confirmed cases in New Zealand to 52 with four probable cases.
Bloomfield said most of the cases were travel related ‘‘but as yet in two instances, no link to overseas travel has been ascertained, and we continue to investigate’’.
A risk of community transmission could not be ruled out, he said.
‘‘We always knew that cases apparently not linked to travel would happen and we are prepared for that, and it is now more important than ever we continue our efforts to track and trace individuals who may have been in contact with confirmed Covid19 cases and get those people into self-isolation so that we can contain any further spread.’’
Nelson Marlborough Health chief executive Peter Bramley said the region’s health organisation had been preparing for a case in the area since January.
‘‘Our public health service is now undertaking contact tracing and requesting close contacts stay in self-isolation for 14 days from the date of potential exposure. People will be supported in isolation by the public health service and Healthline.’’
In Nelson and Motueka, community testing centres have been established as part of a national response to the pandemic.
But the centres are not walk-in facilities.
Nelson Marlborough Health general manager of strategy, primary and community Cathy O’Malley said people with Covid19 symptoms were asked to phone Healthline or their GP first.
The Healthline adviser or GP would ask questions before confirming if someone required assessment and testing for Covid19. People were asked to cooperate with this process.
In a midday address on Saturday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the increasing number of cases required further restrictions to contain the virus, including working differently, limiting movement around the country and advising over 70s, or people with comprised immunity or respiratory systems to stay at home.
She said schools would only be closed if there was a case of the virus within the school.
‘‘Our public health service is now undertaking contact tracing and requesting close contacts stay in selfisolation for 14 days from the date of potential exposure.’’ Petere Bramley, Nelson Marlborough Health chief executive
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