Louder calls for level 1 after 10 case-free days

Ten days have passed with no new reported cases of Covid-19.

One active case remains, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

The number of confirmed and probable cases remains at 1504, and the death toll remains at 22.

Only 626 tests were conducted on Sunday, a reflection of the holiday period as well as the ministry’s announcement that dozens of Covid19 community-based testing centres around the country were closing.

“Lower testing volumes are regularly observed over holiday weekends, and we recognise that this alert level 2 Queen’s Birthday, people will have been taking the advantage of the renewed ability to travel and enjoy a break within New Zealand,” the ministry said in a statement.

“However, we want to encourage and remind everyone that if they have any respiratory symptoms, they should seek advice from Healthline, their GP or after-hours clinic about getting tested. Testing is free.”

The ministry said the approach to testing would be kept “under constant review”.

There were 64 active clinic-based testing centres on Friday, the ministry said, and 105 designated practices, including mobile clinics, providing assessments and swabbing.

The Cabinet will consider the ministry’s updated surveillance testing plan this week, which is expected to be made public in mid-June.

By yesterday, the NZ Covid Tracer app had recorded 476,000 registrations — an increase of 8000 from Sunday.

The ministry encouraged people to download the app because it will help with tracing and isolating cases of Covid-19.

The containment of Covid-19 has prompted political leaders — from National, Act and New Zealand First — to call for the country to be moved to level 1 immediately.

There have been no signs of community transmission for two months.

Some public health experts have called for about 28 days of no new cases before the virus is confidently considered to be eliminated — which is also in line with the ministry’s elimination strategy.

The Cabinet is planning to review the level 2 settings on June 8 and will meet no later than June 22 to consider moving to level 1.