A Southern District Health Board spokesman said this afternoon there were 350 close contacts isolating throughout the Southern district, and 228 of those were in the Queenstown Lakes district.
There were 35 new community cases reported in the South today, bringing the total to 153 active cases.
One of those was in Central Otago and another in Waitaki.
Dunedin has nine new cases and a total of 15, while Queenstown Lakes recorded 23 new cases, bringing the total to 123 active cases.
As New Zealand entered phase 2 of the Covid-19 response the DHB would move to digital solutions for contact tracing and self-isolation, the spokesman said.
Text message notifications to inform people if they have been identified as a positive case began yesterday afternoon.
Planned care at hospitals would continue, he said.
As an extra layer of protection for patients and staff, a Covid-19 test would be required 48 to 72 hours before surgery, which could be conducted at any community testing centre.
Extra safeguards have been put in place at hospitals to protect patients and staff.
Visitors must wear medical masks and other personal protection equipment (PPE) as required.
Visitors with mask exemptions can't go into hospitals.
Patients could have a maximum of two registered visitors during their entire admission. Only one of the registered visitors may visit each day.
Exceptions may be made in time-sensitive palliative care situations and when people need interpreters or other equity-related support, the spokesman said.
One support person, who had been screened and approved by the relevant area, may attend outpatient appointments and ambulatory care.
Where there was no suspicion of Covid-19 contact or symptoms, one key support person could accompany maternity patients into the assessment room and birthing suite.
