Covid-19 Update: No new cases overnight
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there have been no new coronavirus cases overnight.
Bloomfield said he was looking for a run of days of zero community cases to inform a decision on moving alert levels.
Auckland is now in its third day of alert level 3 lockdown.
A 21-year-old (Case M) and his mother (Case N) tested positive for the virus during the weekend, prompting the snap lockdown.
Initially it was unclear how Case M caught the virus.
But on Monday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced undisclosed contact between Case M's mother and another mum involved in Auckland's February cluster.
They had gone for a walk during the region’s level 3 lockdown earlier this month.
Bloomfield said authorities "couldn't take any chances" with alert levels given there were "quite a few exposure events" connected to Case M.
He said there had been high infection rates in the families connected to the cluster and some casual exposure.
“We want to make sure there is not more of those, and we stamp it out.”
Bloomfield said Auckland was only a few days in from when Case M was most infectious, so people would need to “wait and see” if there was any more cases linked to him.
Although he suspected Case M “was not having a good time of it” in terms of backlash over breaching the rules, he said a “punitive approach” could be “counter-productive”.
“We can’t afford to give this virus an inch.”
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
The Tova Show
Hello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner
We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting Kiwis - we’d love to hear from you.
We need a few people who are available the week before the budget (Wednesday 22nd/Thursday 23rd May) and on the day of the announcement (Thursday 30th May).
Please email tova@stuff.co.nz or comment below if you’d like to share your perspective with us. We give you our commitment to treat your experience with sensitivity and care.
Type NFP if you don't wish your comments to be used.
Spoil someone special this Mother’s Day
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’ve got you covered. Enjoy up to 34% off 1-year magazine subscriptions and grab a gift for yourself or a mother figure that’ll last all year long!
With over 50 titles to choose from, there’s something for everyone at mags4gifts.co.nz. To make your gift even more special, make sure to click the “This order is a gift” box to add a free personalised e-card to your order. Mother’s Day offers end at midnight on 11 May, so don’t miss out! T&Cs apply.
What's On: French Bay Table Tennis Club
French Bay Table Tennis Club
- St Vianney Catholic Church Hall
Loading…
