Two new Covid-19 cases in Bay of Plenty district, total 38

The number of new Covid-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area, which covers Tauranga and Whakatane, rose by two overnight.

The total number of cases in the Bay DHB area was now 38 - 37 are in the Western Bay of Plenty and one in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

In the Lakes District Health Board area, which covers Rotorua and Taupō, the total cases stand at 12, with 8 cases in Rotorua and 4 in Taupō, and no new cases today.

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Nationally the total number of confirmed cases stands at 969, up by 26 in the last 24 hours and another 241 probable cases, bringing the total cases to 1210.

Twelve people remain in hospital, with four patients in intensive care units including one each in Wellington, Waitemata, Counties Manukau and Southern area.

So far there has only been one death.

The district health board regions with the most cases are Southern (195), Waitemata (169) Waikato (159) and Canterbury with 114 cases.

New Zealand's 12 clusters include 59 cases from the St Patrick's Day celebration in Matamata, Marist College in Auckland with 77 confirmed cases and another 73 linked to a Bluff wedding. The Bay of Plenty was yet to record any potential Covid-19 clusters.

Director general of health Ashley Bloomfield revealed there were 50 new cases of coronavirus in New Zealand, with 26 confirmed cases and 24 probable cases.

Bloomfield said this was the lowest daily total reported in a fortnight, and 282 people have recovered from the virus.

There were 4098 tests on Tuesday, the highest number so far, bringing the total to 46,875 and about 50,000 stock for further tests, he said.

Bloomfield said there were 20 support and care workers, working in both hospitals and in the community, 17 nurses, seven administrative staff, seven doctors and three medical students with COVID-19.

Contact tracing was "vigorous", he said.

Bloomfield said of the confirmed cases, 41 per cent were linked to overseas travel and currently two per cent were as a result of community transmission.

Another 14 per cent of cases were still being investigated, he said

Priority groups wanting to receive the flu jab should do so as it was classed as essential travel, and medical practices would provide the proper physical distancing, he said.

"We may yet see bumps along the way ... but I remain cautiously optimistic that we are starting to turn a corner," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Ardern said at this stage she would not be able to say whether lockdown would be lifted, emphasising that "now is the time to stay the course".

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