This article originally appeared on RNZ.co.nz. It is republished with permission.
As Covid-19 spreads around the world, it can be daunting keeping up with the information. For RNZ, our responsibility is to give you verified, up to the minute, trustworthy information to help you make decisions about your lives and your health. We’ll also be asking questions of officials and decision makers about how they’re responding to the virus. Our aim is to keep you informed.
The total number of cases in New Zealand is now 1422.
There are now 867 reported cases of Covid-19 who have recovered – an increase of 51 on yesterday.
*See all RNZ coverage of Covid-19
The government did not hold its usual media conference today, instead issuing a written statement with the latest update.
It also confirmed there are no further deaths to report, but that 20 people are in hospital with Covid-19.
Three people are in ICU, one in Middlemore Hospital, one in Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition, and one in North Shore hospital in a critical condition.
The number of significant clusters remains at 16, and seven more cases have been connected to clusters.
Yesterday there was a record number of tests, with 4677 tests processed, taking the seven day rolling average to 2905.
Targeted testing to determine whether there was any undetected community transmission has taken place in Queenstown, Waikato, Canterbury and is taking place in Auckland today.
All of the tests taken at Pak n Save Queenstown have come back negative.
In Waikato, 308 people were tested across Otorohanga, Hamilton, Matamata, Cambridge and Te Awamutu and all of these tests were negative.
All of the tests processed so far from community testing in Canterbury have also come back negative for Covid-19.
Testing began at two supermarkets in Auckland this morning, with the aim of collecting 150 swabs at each site.
Today’s number of new cases is only a slight increase after days of decline, with just eight new cases announced yesterday.
Cabinet will decide on Monday whether the country is ready to move out of level 4 lockdown and will be basing that decision on the most up to date data and information.
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- Your Covid-19 questions answered – from health and employment to managing anxiety
- A timeline: How the coronavirus started, spread and stalled life in New Zealand
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
- The Coronavirus Podcast
