Politics
Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield are giving an update on Covid-19 cases in the Auckland cluster and in managed isolation.
Latest updates from live stream:
- Nine new confirmed cases of Covid-19 – all are in the community, Dr Bloomfield said.
- Seven of the new cases are connected to the community cluster – four, including two today – are still being investigated.
- Total number of confirmed cases is 1280.
- As of 6pm yesterday, 86 people have been moved to quarantine facilities.
- 26,014 tests were completed yesterday. 597,956 tests have been completed in total since the pandemic began in New Zealand.
- There are five people in hospital; two in Auckland Hospital, three are in Middlemore Hospital and were transferred from the Jet Park facility and were connected to the existing cluster.
- Dr Bloomfield says labs and testing stations are experiencing unprecedented levels of demand and there can be delays of 48 hours, with the priority to those who are at high risk.
- “Testing at the border for the workforce at airports and ports continue to increase,” he said, adding there was now a dedicated testing team at the ports of Auckland with extended hours.
- Over the next few days, a few thousands workers at the Port of Tauranga will be tested, Dr Bloomfield said. More than 2100 staff working in managed isolation facilities in Auckland have now been tested as of yesterday, he said
Watch the media conference here from about 1pm:
Related:
https://whatsoninvers.nz/watch-live-covid-19-update-election-date-now-17th-october/