19 cases in south

As of yesterday, there are now 19 cases of Coronavirus in the Southern District Health Board catchment area.

The brings the total to 18 confirmed and 1 probable.

The Ministry of Health announced 50 new Covid-19 cases nationwide yesterday, bringing the national total to 205.

The four new cases in the Southern District include two Dunedin women in their 20s, a Queenstown woman in her 30s and a Wanaka man in his 20s.

Additional cases in Otago were also confirmed yesterday, but no details are available at 7pm.

They will be included on the Ministry of Health website today.

Cases who have returned from overseas have all gone into immediate isolation and have very few close contacts.

Those related to the Hereford Cattle conference have more extensive contacts that are now being followed up. All cases have mild illness.

Contact tracing has commenced. Everyone is asked to monitor their health and contact Healthline should they experience cough, fever or have difficulty breathing.

There remains only one case in Southland.

The Covid-19 cases have visited the following locations between March 14 and 24: central Dunedin, south Dunedin, north Dunedin, Mornington, central Christchurch, Mosgiel, Green Island, Queenstown, Cromwell and Alexandra.

These locations relate to possible casual contacts by members of the public that can’t be identified through contact tracing. The risk in these instances is considered to be low.

■ Bus tour Christchurch – Omarama – Dunedin – Te Anau – Milford Sound – Queenstown – Fox Glacier-Christchurch, March 12 to 18. Casual contacts – low risk.

■ Outram Rugby Field, central Dunedin, south Dunedin, March 14, casual contacts – low risk.

■ Auckland and Dunedin, March 21 and 23, casual contacts – low risk.