There are 28 new community cases of Covid-19 today - 27 in Auckland and one in Wellington, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay has confirmed.
The Covid-19 Delta outbreak has once again changed the grieving process for bereaved families, local funeral directors say.
At alert level 3, the number of people who can attend a funeral, tangihanga or burial is limited to 10. including members of the clergy or staff.
Up to 10 people fromthe same household can go to view the deceased and two whānau from the same bubble can dress their loved one in the presence of the funeral director.
Paul Gilmore, the manager of Jones and Company Funeral Services in Tauranga, said since the Covid-19 restrictions changed to alert level 3 they had held some memorial services for those who died during the level 4 lockdown.
Gilmore said the Covid-19 restrictions had only added to the distress felt by bereaved families.
"It is very hard for families who want to be able to farewell their loved ones and give them a decent send-off in this difficult environment."
Gilmore said fortunately, good technology meant funeral services could be live-streamed to other whānau and friends across the world and lots of people were opting to do so.
Elliotts Funeral Services Tauranga manager Neil Gedge. Photo / Supplied
Elliotts Funeral Services Tauranga manager Neil Gedge said once the alert levels changed they immediately had three families contact them, wanting to discuss arrangements for holding a memorial service.
The deceased in each case had died just before lockdown and the burial or cremation had already taken place, he said.
Gedge said having a memorial service even with a smaller number of mourners was important because it helped with the grieving process.
Tauranga Legacy Funerals' general manager Kiri Randall. Photo / Supplied
The new restrictions around funerals and tangihanga were "devastating" for families and the Delta outbreak had changed the grieving landscape, he said.
Gedge said even at alert level 2, having a limit of only 100 mourners would be "very difficult", especially for larger families and friend groups.
"But it is what it is, and people have been very accepting, which makes our job a lot easier."
Gedge said the ability to live-stream services to family members unable to attend was an increasingly vital tool.
Legacy Funerals general manager Kiri Randall said they were busier now than before lockdown and were fielding lots of calls.
"We already had arrangements made to hold 10 funeral services before the alert levels changed.
"We are working very closely with all our families to ensure we can accommodate their needs while still abiding by the Covid-19 restrictions," she said.
"At least eight families have chosen for us to keep caring for their loved ones and to hold a funeral service a bit further down the track when the alert level is lowered."
Randall said others families had chosen to go ahead with a small service live-streamed to other whānau and friends who could not be there.
"Some also planned to hold a much larger service when they can do so," she said.
Nikki Roberts (left) and partner Ben McCreedy own Reflections Funeral Directors and Advisors. Photo / File
Nikki Roberts, co-owner of Reflections Funeral Services, said they were still able to create a dignified and fitting farewell for bereaved families under alert level 3.
"Some families are choosing for us to keep their loved ones in our care for a planned extended period in hope of eased restrictions with lower alert levels.
Roberts said families understood the reason for the restrictions and overall appreciated the chance to have any form of farewell.
