If current Southern District Health Board numbers are anything to go by, Southland could be one of the last regions to make it out of lockdown.

Director-general of Health, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, said the spread of the coronavirus could indicate when the easing of lockdown restrictions could begin. However, with the SDHB catchment area having the most cases per population, sitting at 132 on March 3, the likelihood of Southland leading the way to alert level 3 could be low.

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On Friday in the SDHB catchment, there were 126 confirmed COVID-19 cases and six probable cases. Queenstown-Lakes had the most with 53, Dunedin was not far behind with 37 Southland (20), Clutha, Gore (1) and Invercargill had 20. Total cases in Clutha/Southland (31).

Cluster from a wedding in Bluff cluster is up today by 19 to 53 and the World Hereford Conference in Queenstown were two significant clusters in the south.
(more on clusters below)

Number of cases in Southern as of 03 April 2020: 130 confirmed, 1 probable, total 131. Image: Southern DHB.

* Decrease in number of clusters is due to probable cases being reclassified as not a case.

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Significant clusters in New Zealand

As at 3 April 2020

Significant clusters in NZ as – as at 3 April 2020
Clusters under investigation	Location	Total to date	New in last 24 hours
School	Auckland	59	3
Event	Southland	53	19
Workplace	Waikato	49	8
Event	Queenstown	29	2
Workplace	Auckland	16	6
Rest home	Waikato	14	0
Group travel to US	Wellington	13	-2
Event	Wellington	13	4
Cruise ship	Hawke’s Bay	13	7
Group travel overseas	Auckland	12	4

The Ministry of Health is now only publicly reporting clusters with 10 or more cases. All clusters are being investigated by public health officials. These figures include confirmed and probable cases. We are working to provide appropriate information on clusters.

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COVID-19 case public notification process

District Health Boards report all new cases to the Ministry of Health by 8am each day. The Ministry of Health announces national case numbers at 1pm daily, based on totals as of 8am.

While there can be a lag between confirmation of cases and public notification of those cases, this lag does not create any public health risk. Anyone who is tested for COVID-19 goes into immediate self-isolation. Contact tracing starts as soon as test results are received and close contacts are informed and isolated immediately.

Related:

https://whatsoninvers.nz/15-diy-related-incidents-in-southland-since-lockdown/

Southland May Be Last Out of Lockdown

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