No new Covid-19 cases in NZ for second day
New Zealand has seen a second day without a new coronavirus case, but the country is being warned not to squander the achievement by celebrating early.
With one probable case reclassified as not a case, the overall probable and confirmed count dropped by one, to 1486, yesterday, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield explained at the Government’s daily Covid-19 press conference.
The death toll from virus was also unchanged with 20 deaths.
More than half of those were residents of Rosewood Rest Home and Hospital in Christchurch.
Four people remain in hospital with Covid-19 but there are none in intensive care.
There were still 16 significant clusters around the country, but three had been closed. Five more cases were added to the CHT St Margaret’s Rest Home cluster in west Auckland, but these were not considered to be new. None were patients at Waita¯kere Hospital, Bloomfield said.
‘‘Obviously, having zero new cases of Covid-19 to report for a second day in a row is very encouraging and all New Zealanders should feel pleased with their efforts ... and of what we have achieved. .
‘‘Of course, we must stick to the plan. The worst thing we can do now is celebrate success early . . . Stay the course, stay in your bubble and don’t squander what we have achieved by giving the virus a chance it will only too readily accept if we do that.’’
While the country could be proud of achieving two days without notching up a case, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reiterated the virus ‘‘can have a long tail’’. She asked New Zealanders not to do anything that snatches away potential victory over the virus, and insisted we double down this week to maintain the good run of numbers.
Ardern was quizzed about applications for exemptions from border restrictions. So far, all applications made by people to visit someone dying have been rejected by officials.
Last week, Oliver Christiansen had to take emergency court action to be allowed to visit his dying father. Bloomfield said a review of the criteria was under way, as well
as a review of each application decision in light of Christiansen’s High Court victory.
Justice Tracey Walker, who heard the case on Friday, found authorities had interpreted the rules narrowly and failed to use their powers of discretion.
Since March 28, about 6000 travellers to New Zealand have gone into either managed isolation or quarantine – the former if a person displayed symptoms of Covid-19. Currently, there were 179 people in quarantine facilities and just under 2800 people in managed isolation.
‘‘These precautions are obviously to prevent the virus from coming into our country,’’ Bloomfield said. ‘‘[There is] a process for requesting an exemption. . . . As a result of [Christiansen’s] judicial review, I have asked our team to review previous similar requests.’’
Questioned about people being able to visit and support hospital patients at alert level two, Bloomfield confirmed the visitor policy for district health boards was being looked at.
Asked about reports economy class passengers on the repatriation flights from India did not have spaces between them, he said careful consideration on whether they were well enough to travel would have been given, and testing and other measures would have been carried out.
The Australian and New Zealand governments have started work on a Trans-Tasman bubble that would allow travel between the two countries without quarantining.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the work commencement after Ardern joined Australia’s national cabinet meeting yesterday via a secure videolink.
“A trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends,’’ Ardern and Morrison said in a joint statement.
But this bubble would not happen until it could be made safe because the health of each country’s citizens remained the priority.