The Hawke's Bay DHB has activated its full-scale emergency response structure to prepare for and respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Interim chief executive Craig Climo said planning was well under way to establish community assessment centres across the region to swab and assess unwell people.
The first assessment centre is expected to open on Thursday morning at Hastings Health Centre's old building, 101 Queen St East, Hastings.
"Preparing and planning at Hawke's Bay Hospital was ongoing and an isolation ward was ready to be put in place if required. The hospital also had six negative pressure isolation rooms including in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit," Climo said.
"Staff have had on-going training in the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and that training has also been rolled out to our primary care and aged care partners over the past weeks.