Covirus 19 coronavirus: Does NZ still have new single-digit cases on D-day?

The Health Ministry will reveal whether there are still fewer and fewer new Covid-19 cases as the government decides when the blockade will be lifted.

The new cases, any other deaths, and how many people have recovered will be released in a written statement in lieu of the hive’s regular press conference.

Director-General for Health Ashley Bloomfield will join Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for the post-cabinet press conference at 4 p.m., when it will be revealed whether New Zealand will move to Alert Level 3.

There were nine new cases yesterday, the second time the daily count was in single digits since before closing.

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New Zealand will find out this afternoon at 4pm if the country will break the blockade and go to alert level 3.

The Cabinet began meeting at 10:30 a.m. It will base its decision on evidence and the ability to locate contacts, community transmission, border restrictions and the capacity of the health system.

When asked yesterday if we were likely to stay at level 4 for another week until contact tracking is at a gold standard, Arden said, “We are not going to be hypothetical.”

There were nine new cases of coronavirus in New Zealand and a new death was announced yesterday.

Death brings the total to 12 and it was from a man in Invercargill who was linked to the Bluff wedding group. It is the first coronavirus death in the community.

The man, in his 70s, died at his Kingswell home Tuesday night. The Bluff wedding group has been connected to more than 90 cases, including the death of the groom’s father.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand was now 1,431, and 912 people had recovered.

There were 18 people in the hospital, including one in the ICU at Middlemore, Dunedin and North Shore Hospitals; two were in critical condition.