1 million test mark passed
WELLINGTON: Directorgeneral of Health Ashley Bloomfield has thanked the New Zealand medical workforce and public for their efforts as the country passed one million tests for Covid19.
On Saturday, laboratories processed 3809 tests, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 1,000,764.
Dr Bloomfield said yesterday reaching the million test mark was significant.
‘‘The milestone of a million tests reflects a sustained team effort. I want to recognise everyone who has been tested to date, and the skilled workforce carrying out this testing.
“Each one of those tests has contributed to our knowledge about the virus and its prevalence in New Zealand. To everyone who has been part of the process, I want to acknowledge and thank you for your contribution. You have made a difference.
“Testing will continue to be a cornerstone of our collective response to Covid19.”
There was one new case of coronavirus reported yesterday in New Zealand and that person was in managed isolation, the Ministry of Health said in a statement yesterday afternoon.
The new case announced is a person who arrived from India on September 26. They have been at a managed isolation facility since arriving.
They tested positive at an Auckland quarantine facility, having previously been identified as a close contact of two earlier confirmed cases.
The ministry said this reinforced the importance of its managed isolation process and multiple testing requirements in detecting coronavirus at the border.
The total number of confirmed cases of the virus is 1515.
There were no additional recovered cases yesterday and the total number of active cases is now 45 — all imported. —