Covid 19 coronavirus: One new case linked to St Margaret's cluster

There is one new case of Covid-19 today - the first reported this week.

The Ministry of Health says the case has been linked to the St Margaret's cluster in Auckland, and was a household contact of an earlier case.

The person was already in isolation because of their connection to the earlier case.

A spokesperson for the Ministry says this is another example of the long tail of Covid-19.

Today's new case brings New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases to 1154.

Our combined total of confirmed and probable cases is 1504.

Ninety-seven per cent of all confirmed and probable cases have recovered, the ministry says.

No additional deaths have been reported, which means the death toll remains at 21.

One person remains in hospital, at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital, not in the intensive care unit.

Yesterday, 5408 tests were completed bringing the total number of tests to 250,246.

New Zealand's new Covid Tracer app has now recorded 294,000 registrations.

The Ministry says officials continue to encourage as many people as possible to download the app. It will help us identify, trace, test and isolate any cases of Covid-19, a spokesperson says.

"The faster we can do these steps the less likely it is the virus can spread in our communities."

As New Zealanders head into the weekend, the ministry wanted to remind people the maximum number of people who can gather remains at 10.

That applies to private and public gatherings including church and faith-based events.

Funerals and tangihanga are the only exception, and had to be registered by funeral directors with the Ministry of Health.

Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said he knew many people wanted to move as quickly as possible to increase the size of gatherings and he knew how important it was for people to be able to practise their faith together.

"As we head into the weekend, I want to acknowledge once again the support and patience of New Zealanders right through level 3 and 4."

"The number of people at gatherings will be one of the specific issues being reconsidered by Cabinet on Monday."

Health chief's great hope

Yesterday, there were no new Covid-19 cases and Bloomfield said it was his "great hope" New Zealand had seen the last of the deaths associated with coronavirus.

Bloomfield said he felt "encouraged, as we all should" when it came to the low new numbers.

He said it boded well for him giving his recommendation to Cabinet around expanding the maximum gathering rules.

"Everything remains promising," he said.

The transmission chain had been successfully broken in New Zealand, he said.

Bars open but 'no new dance moves'

For the first time in more than two months, Kiwis yesterday were able to finish the working week with a cold brew at their nearby pub or bar.

Bar owners last week watched restaurants and cafes reopen, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned bars their standard setting would spread Covid-19 easily.

Now, they have been allowed to reopen under strict rules: customers must be seated, separated and a single server must provide table service.

Bloomfield said yesterday people should support those businesses - but he said this was not the time to try out "any new dance moves" people might have learned during lockdown.

Instead, customers were urged to take a seat.

He asked people to give correct details to bars and restaurants.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website