Covid 19 coronavirus: No new community cases, 6 new cases in MIQ ahead of cabinet meeting to decide alert level for Auckland

There are no new Covid cases in the community today and six new cases in managed isolation to report today.

All Air NZ flight attendant contacts who tested positive for the virus last week have returned negative so far, with 3 results still pending.

There are 6 community testing locations available in Auckland today. These are found in Wiri, Otara, Balmoral, New Lynn, Henderson, and Northcote.

The six new cases in managed isolation include four people from India, one from Brazil and one from Japan. They are all in managed isolation in Auckland.

A previously reported case has recovered. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 85. Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,060.

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,801,771.

On Wednesday, 6,448 tests were processed. The seven-day moving average through yesterday is 7,167 tests processed per day.

The Health Ministry said today’s numbers of administered isolation cases again underscore the value of having early testing. All persons arriving in New Zealand must remain in their rooms until the test results of day 0/1 return.

“It is also not uncommon to see some of these cases reclassified as historical cases, which are not infectious. That is why we continue to publish the cumulative number of historical cases,” he said.

Since January 1, there have been 37 historical cases, out of a total of 249 cases.

Today’s Covid update will be one of the things the cabinet will consider before making a decision on alert levels.

There has not been a community case related to the Valentine’s Day outbreak since February 28.

The Air New Zealand crew member who tested positive last week is considered a border-related case and there have been no other cases related to him.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said yesterday that Auckland residents could be “optimistic” about the move to alert level 1.

The ministers will meet this afternoon to make the call and Ardern will announce the decision tomorrow at noon.

Ardern said last week: “The cabinet will review this decision [alert level] at the end of next week (tomorrow) with a view to bringing Auckland to level 1 at the start of the weekend, if we are in a position to do so.

Yesterday, the government announced more details about the launch of the vaccine, and the people most at risk if they detect Covid-19 are next in line behind border and health care workers.

The vaccine will then be offered to older people with significant health problems living in South Auckland, in nursing homes or living in a whānau care setting.

Then, starting in May, Kiwis older than 70, then those older than 65 will have the option of receiving the vaccine before the vaccine is offered to the rest of the population in July.

Health conditions relevant to early access to the vaccine include coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / chronic respiratory conditions, kidney disease, cancer, and pregnant women.

The concrete implementation plan comes after the government announced Monday that it had secured enough Pfizer vaccine for every New Zealander.

So far, some 18,000 frontline border workers and their families have received the first of two hits and the first kiwis will be fully inoculated with two doses next week.

Approximately 57.00 frontline healthcare workers who could be exposed to the virus while providing care are next in line.

By the end of May, the Government expects that the vaccine will be offered to 183,000 health workers who could expose vulnerable people and some 234,000 older people living in South Auckland in care facilities for the elderly who have particular vulnerabilities or who live in an environment of whānau care.