Canterbury's total number of Covid-19 cases has grown by six in the past 24 hours, with the region's total now standing at 92.
At Monday's update, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced 67 new confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand, bringing the national total to 1039.
The Canterbury DHB area now has the fifth-highest number of cases behind the Southern, Waitemata, Waikato and Auckland DHBs.
Thirteen people are receiving treatment in hospital, with three of them in ICU.
There have been no more Covid-19 related deaths since West Coast woman Anne Guenole, 74, died of the virus last Sunday morning – the first death in New Zealand.
The South Canterbury DHB areas has had no new Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours, with its total still at 10.
Rosewood Rest Home & Hospital in Linwood has also been identified as the Christchurch care home at the centre of a Covid-19 cluster.
Dr Bloomfield announced there were 15 confirmed and probable cases among residents and staff at the facility.
A cluster of 10 cases were reportedly connected to the dementia unit at the facility.
Twenty residents have been moved to Burwood Hospital to be cared for by Canterbury District Health Board staff.
Hope that cases will drop in next few days
Dr Bloomfield told Mike Hosking this morning New Zealand had seen an "encouraging" flattening of growth in cases.
That's partly because New Zealand had moved to alert level 4 early, rather than moving slowly toward a lockdown like other countries.
Bloomfield said in the last three-four days - slightly earlier than expected - the flattening off had been seen. In the next few days the hope was there would be a drop in cases.
Officials were looking for that drop this week but it was too early to call whether it would happen.
The Ministry of Health was working with DHBs to make sure that when NZ moved back to alert level 3, important appointments and elective surgery would be carried out.
Hospitals are running at 50-60 per cent capacity - meaning there are about 1000 beds empty. ICU staff are being trained and hospitals getting ready while there are fewer people in hospital.
Three early indicators
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Hosking there were three factors - or early indicators - the Cabinet would be looking at as it started considering whether it could be lifted in 16 days: The rate of cases; the level of community transmission, and the results of extra testing at regional level to give a more localised view.
The 89 new cases in New Zealand yesterday was consistent with the number of new daily cases since the lockdown came into force, and the total of 1039 confirmed or probable cases was 3000 fewer than the predicted number for yesterday, which was provided to the Government on the eve of the lockdown.
But expert epidemiologists say there needs to be more testing data across all regions, socio-economic groups and ethnicities before the lockdown can confidently be lifted.
Ardern defended the level of Covid testing in New Zealand, saying the positive rate for tests was under 3% - on a par with South Korea. A city like New York, where Covid was running out of control, was at 50% positive testing.
She acknowledged distribution of equipment - including PPE equipment, swabs and tests - had needed to improve, but the country, by and large, had good supply.
"Same issue with flu vaccine, in some places people have run out - we have half a million vaccines... it's about moving them around the country. That means knowing how many every GP and pharmacy have.
"We need to move to war-time footing. I expect these things to be logistically much tighter.
Total cases by DHB
As at 9.00 am, 6 April 2020
| DHB | Number of cases | Change in last 24 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 147 | 10 |
| Bay of Plenty | 32 | 1 |
| Canterbury | 92 | 6 |
| Capital and Coast | 80 | 0 |
| Counties Manukau | 81 | 4 |
| Hawke's Bay | 33 | 4 |
| Hutt Valley | 19 | 1 |
| Lakes | 12 | 0 |
| MidCentral | 27 | 5 |
| Nelson Marlborough | 40 | 5 |
| Northland | 17 | 1 |
| South Canterbury | 10 | 0 |
| Southern | 177 | 17 |
| Tairāwhiti | 1 | 0 |
| Taranaki | 14 | 0 |
| Waikato | 147 | 1 |
| Wairarapa | 8 | 0 |
| Waitemata | 157 | 12 |
| West Coast | 4 | 0 |
| Whanganui | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 1106 | 67 |
Total cases in hospital by DHB
| DHB | Total cases |
|---|---|
| Auckland | 1 |
| Bay of Plenty (Tauranga) | 1 |
| Capital & Coast (Wellington) | 3 |
| Counties Manukau (Middlemore) | 1 |
| Southern (Invercargill) | 1 |
| Tairāwhiti | 1 |
| Taranaki | 1 |
| Waikato | 2 |
| Waitemata | 2 |
| Total | 13 |
Note: Three of the 13 in hospital are in ICU.
Epidemic curve
Total confirmed and probable cases over time, as at 9.00 am, 6 April 2020
New confirmed and probable cases over time, as at 9.00 am, 6 April 2020
Total cases by age and gender
Total cases by age as at 9.00 am, 6 April 2020
Total cases by gender as at 9.00 am, 6 April 2020
Total cases by ethnicity
NZ Herald and ODT
