SDHB investigates how Invercargill man died at home with Covid-19

It is understood that the Southern District Health Board is investigating how a man from Invercargill with the Covid-19 virus could have died at home.

Alister Peter Brookland, who was 70, died in Invercargill in April in what is believed to be the only community death caused by the virus in New Zealand.

The SDHB is reported to be investigating Brookland’s death.

SDHB Medical Director Nigel Millar told the Otago Daily Times that the death was recorded as an adverse event because the death was unexpected.

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“At the time of this tragic death, we were still in the early stages of learning about this disease.”

Miller said addressing how Brookland died at his home would help the board understand if his death was preventable and if there were things he could do in the future to prevent a similar event.

Brookland was the 12th New Zealander to die from the virus and was linked to Bluff’s wedding group.

At the time of Brookland’s death, Chief Health Officer Ashley Bloomfield said he had been diagnosed with Covid-19, but that he was not “clinically ill.”

His family cared for him at home and health officials monitored him daily.

Bloomfield said the case would be reviewed by chief scientific adviser Ian Towns, a respiratory physician, and some of his colleagues to “see what the learnings are.”