No new cases in South but Bluff cluster death
THE cluster of Covid19 cases connected to a wedding in Bluff has claimed its first victim, after a man who died from the disease in Wellington was confirmed as having links to the event.
The news yesterday that the man’s death was connected to the Bluff wedding blighted an otherwise positive day for the South on the Covid19 front.
No new cases of the disease were reported in the region yesterday — the first time since March 21.
The man’s death was one of two confirmed by health authorities over the Easter weekend, taking the New Zealand Covid19 death toll to four.
The Bluff wedding, held before restrictions on largescale gatherings were imposed by the Government, was attended by about 70 people.
Several of those guests contracted Covid19 at the event, and some then transmitted it to close contacts after they returned home.
Directorgeneral of health Ashley Bloomfield said the man ``became infected as part of the Bluff wedding event’’ but she did not reveal further details about the man.
The Ministry of Health earlier said the man was in his 80s, with underlying serious health conditions, and had been in critical condition in Wellington Regional Hospital for some days before his death.
Bluff Board chairman Raymond Fife said the Bluff community was coping with the situation, and wished everyone who was at the function well.
``I've spoken to a couple of people since and we're saddened by that death.
``Our thoughts go out to the family, and it's tragic what happened. It's sad.’’
The other person who died of Covid19 at the weekend was a resident of the Rosewood Rest Home in Christchurch, the second person from a group transferred from there to Burwood Hospital to subsequently die.
Dr Bloomfield said many of the Rosewood residents were frail and in poor health.
``They have high care needs and there is a number of them with Covid19 infection and we may well see further deaths over coming days, to be honest with you about that.’’
The southern region remains the part of New Zealand most afflicted by Covid19, with 206 cases; Waitemata (192) and Waikato (176) rank second and third.
Nationally, just 14 new cases were confirmed yesterday, and four probable cases, the lowest rise in many days, for a total of 1330 cases.
Fourteen people are in hospital across New Zealand due to Covid19, including five in intensive care.
One of those five is in Dunedin Hospital, where they have been in critical condition for some days.
Dr Bloomfield said 471 people were now confirmed as having recovered from Covid19, up 49 from Saturday.
``We continue to report more people recovered than new cases.’’
Dr Bloomfield said testing numbers had decreased slightly, possibly due to the Easter break, but added that the apparent slowdown of new cases was encouraging.
``What we will be wanting to see over coming days is an increase in testing numbers again after this quiet period over Easter, to find out if there are any new cases out there and particularly any evidence of community transmission that we are not yet aware of.’’
Despite extensive warnings not to travel over the Easter period due to Covid19 restrictions, police said nationally 893 breaches of restrictions had been recorded, and 109 people were prosecuted.
In the South, 10 checkpoints were set up around the region to stop people from unnecessary trips to cribs or resort towns.
A spokesman said compliance across the region had been good, only a handful of motorists being turned around and sent home. — Additional reporting Laura Smith