There were 1148 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Otago and Southland yesterday, one of just three regions where daily case numbers remain in the thousands.
The Southern District Health Board’s Covid-19 response lead Hywel Lloyd said he remained deeply concerned at case numbers around the region, but particularly in Central Otago and Dunedin.
"The concern is the potential case growth in Central increasing further over Easter and the holiday migration of people from Dunedin to Central and Queenstown to Invercargill," Dr Lloyd said.
"Borders are also open. Even when we are on our Easter break we need to maintain social distancing and mask use."
There were still almost 7500 active reported cases of Covid-19 in the South yesterday.
There were 418 new cases in Dunedin, 270 in Invercargill, and 144 in Queenstown-Lakes yesterday.
Nationally, 9495 new cases were reported yesterday and 15 additional deaths, none of which were in the South.
Dr Lloyd said given the high southern case numbers it would be sensible for people to behave as if the region was still in the Red light setting.
"At Orange you do not need to wear a mask in a hospitality setting, but we would strongly advise that you do."
The change to Orange does not alter the SDHB’s restrictions on visitor access to hospitals, which it said were based on the current local health situation rather than the national framework setting.
There were 32 people in hospital who had Covid-19 in the South yesterday: 22 in Dunedin Hospital, nine in Southland Hospital and one in Lakes.
'Numbers don't tell full story'
Otago University Covid-19 modeller Matthew Parry told RNZ's Morning Report today the outbreak in the Southern DHB area was a "bit of an outlier" in tailing off very slowly.
Parry said case numbers among people aged 60 and above had been increasing in the last month.
Hospitalisation rates had gone up, then levelled out more recently.
"But the worrying thing is in this case is daily numbers don't tell the full story, because the hospitalisation risk is so much higher in the older age groups."
There would be increased transmission risk for the older age group moving into winter, combined with waning vaccination effectiveness and the move to the orange traffic light setting, he said.
Hospitality happy
Feedback from the hospitality sector has been positive about the switch to the Orange setting.
The key now would be for patrons to feel confident going out under new settings.
"I’m talking right from old people’s homes who take people out for lunch and enjoy a day out through to young guys dancing with girls at nightclubs, right across the strata."
He said he hoped the announcement would be a signal to the country that it was time to get back out and about in hospitality venues.
The Craic owner Claire Grenfell said the whole industry would be delighted with the announcement after what had been a really challenging time.
Her business had been starting to pick up in the last week, and she said it was an indication that people were feeling a little more optimistic and confident to go out.
Republic Hospitality Group chief executive Blair Impey, who operates 11 venues across Queenstown, said the change was fantastic news.
His customers were over the rules as they stood under the Red setting, and were ready to return to the dance floors.
"[The shift to Orange] just makes more sense as they’re catching up with where people are at anyway."
Masks at Orange
Where you must wear a face mask at the Orange setting:
• On domestic flights.
• On public transport; includes Cook Strait Ferries but does not include passengers within their allocated carriage on specified KiwiRail services or when on a ship that does not have an enclosed space for passengers.
• At indoor arrival and departure points for domestic flights and public transport.
• If 12 years or over on Ministry of Education-funded school transport and public transport.
• In taxis or rideshare vehicles.
• Inside a retail business, for example supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, petrol stations, and takeaway food stores.
• Inside public facilities, such as museums and libraries, but not at swimming pools.
• At a vet clinic.
• Visiting indoor area of a court or tribunal, unless the judicial officer does not require them.
• At premises operated by local and central government agencies, social service providers, and police.
• In the public area of premises operated by NZ Post Ltd.
• When visiting a healthcare service, for example a healthcare or aged-care facility.
- additional reporting RNZ
