Covid 19 coronavirus: Northland case tally hits 20, PM 'cautiously optimistic'

Northland's Covid-19 case tally has increased by two and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is "cautiously optimistic" New Zealand has turned a corner in its fight against the pandemic.

Further details of Northland's two new cases were not yet available on the Ministry of Health website.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
Northland positive case summary:
Case 1 (RECOVERED): Male, 20s. Departed Paris on flight EY38 to Abu Dhabi on March 14, then to Sydney on flight EY450 and then to Auckland on VA0141, arriving on March 16.
Case 2 (RECOVERED): Female, 40s. Departed Melbourne on flight JQ217 to Auckland on March 15.
Case 3: Female, 50s. Departed UK on flight EK38 to Dubai on March 19. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 for Auckland on March 21 (Previously in hospital, now discharged).
Case 4 (RECOVERED): Male, 60s. Departed Los Angeles on flight NZ1 on March 23 and arrived in Auckland on March 24.
Case 5 (RECOVERED): Female, 20s. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 on March 19.
Case 6 (RECOVERED): Female, 20s. Departed Dubai on flight EK448 and arrived in New Zealand on March 24.
Case 7: Female, 60s (probable). Travelled from the United States out of LAX on March 18 and arrived in New Zealand on March 19.
Case 8: Female, 40s.
Case 9: Female, 20s. Departed Canada on flight GB615 on March 23 and arrived in New Zealand on the same date.
Case 10: Male, 50s. Departed United States and arrived in New Zealand on March 22.
Case 11: Female, 30s. No international travel.
Case 12: Female, 40s. No international travel.
Case 13: Male, 50s.
Case 14: Male, 60s.
Case 15: Male, 10-14. No international travel
Case 16: Male, 30s. No international travel.
Case 17: Female, 60s. No international travel.
Case 18: Female, 40s. No international travel.
Case 19: TBC
Case 20: TBC

One of Northland's probable cases, a woman in her 20s, was removed from Northland's case tally after it was found she was in fact from Auckland.

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced 50 new cases nationwide at Parliament today. Twenty-six cases were confirmed and 24 were probable as at 9am. There were no more Covid-19 related deaths.

The new cases took the country's total to 1210, which included 282 people who had recovered. Twelve people were in hospital and four were in intensive care, including two in a critical condition.

Bloomfield said there was still a strong yet decreasing link to overseas travel in cases, and 14 per cent were still yet to be investigated.

Yesterday, 4098 tests were processed which was the highest so far. It took the national number of tests to 46,875.

Bloomfield said 20 support and care workers, 17 nurses, seven administrative staff, seven doctors and three medical students had caught the virus.

With the number of new cases the lowest in two weeks, Ardern said, "We may yet see bumps along the way but I remain cautiously optimistic that we are starting to turn a corner."

More to come