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National | Health

COVID-19 cases reach 950, 127 cases recovered

The number of COVID-19 cases in New Zealand has risen to 950 today after 82 new cases were identified overnight.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced the new cases were made up of 52 confirmed cases and 30 probable cases.

A total of 127 reported cases have recovered and there have been no additional deaths.

“For the cases we have information on, there remains a strong link to overseas travel," Dr Bloomfield says.

There are 68 people who identify as being Māori with COVID-19 and 28 Pacific peoples.

He says 47 percent of cases are linked to overseas travel and 37 percent are linked to confirmed cases in New Zealand.

“We still have a small number, around one percent of cases, that we have concluded are a result of community transmission. But we have around 17 percent still being investigated and, as I’ve said earlier in the last couple of days, they may transpire to be community transmission.”

Dr Bloomfield says there are 10 people in hospital, including one patient in intensive care.

“All are in a stable condition,” Dr Bloomfield says.

Coronavirus: All of Government COVID-19 national response update

Coronavirus: All of Government COVID-19 national response update

Posted by Te Ao Māori News on Friday, April 3, 2020

Tests

On average, 2,264 tests are being processed per day.

Yesterday, 3,631 tests were processed, which was the highest number of single tests done in a day since testing began.

In total, 33,116 tests have been processed and the Ministry of Health is working to ensure more tests can be processed as the days continue.

“All together we have more than 100,000 nasal and throat swabs in stock and enough componentry for the full process for lab testing for 37,000 tests in the country.”

More supplies are coming from overseas and inside New Zealand to continue the testing capacity.

The highest demand is for nasal swabs and 300,000 swabs are expected to become available over the next three weeks.

At least 10 clusters of cases are still being examined. The largest include 60 cases from the Auckland Marist School, 55 cases from a wedding in Bluff and 4 cases in Matamata.

More information on cases can be found here. 

More to come.