Covid-19: Northland frontline health care staff well prepared

Whangārei Hospital will be one of the places coronavirus patients will be cared for if confirmed cases are diagnosed in Northland. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Public health officials in Northland and the local polytech are preparing a response to the coronavirus outbreak that has so far killed nearly 3000 people worldwide.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health reported the first Covid-19 patient, making New Zealand the 48th country to confirm a virus case.

The patient in their 60s, who had travelled home from Iran via Bali on Wednesday, is recovering in Auckland City Hospital.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the case had been dealt with in a "textbook fashion" and that New Zealand was well prepared.

Two other passengers who were on the same flight are being monitored in Nelson.

Public health teams in Northland have been kept abreast on what to look out for and ways to deal with people who test positive for the virus.

Northland District Health Board medical officer for health, Dr Catherine Jackson, said around four out of five people with Covid-19 would have a mild to moderate illness that could be managed at home.

She said Northland DHB was part of a regional response team preparing for the possibility of cases in the Northland.

"Frontline health care staff in primary care, accident and medical clinics, ambulance services, and hospital emergency departments know what to look for, who and how to test people, and what equipment they need to reduce the risk of the infection being passed to others."

She said as with suspected cases of measles, people suspected of having Covid-19 and were well enough to stay at home, were isolated there until test results become available.

"As with measles cases, people with confirmed Covid-19 who need to be admitted to hospital are cared for in isolation. As we see with measles and influenza, some people with Covid-19 will be seriously unwell and will need to be admitted to intensive care," Dr Jackson said.

Northland DHB has health care personnel ready to deal with coronavirus cases if positive cases are identified in the region. Photo / NZME

It can cause a range of respiratory illnesses ranging from a mild illness like the common cold through to a severe pneumonia. NorthTec is on Alert Status as per its international office pandemic/epidemic response plan and has established an Incident Management Group to deal with cases if they arise.

NorthTec's health centre nurse has publicised guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and correspondence has been sent to all students, staff and homestay providers, who would be updated every two days.

"Like all educational institutions in NZ, we are directed by government actions around this issue. If/when students are able to enter the country, it will be under strict government guidance, and we will implement any actions as directed."

Sixty-four Chinese students, mostly from Guangdong province, were due to return to classes at NorthTec two weeks ago but have not been able to enter New Zealand.

For some, it's their first year of study at NorthTec while others are returning back to classes.

Health Minister Dr David Clark on Friday announced the Government's decision not to allow any exemptions for overseas students from China to enter the country.

Despite the first confirmed case, the Government says that likelihood of community outbreak in New Zealand remained low and they would expect more isolated cases.

Ardern's message to the public last Friday for the general public to about their daily lives and to contact health officers if people had health concerns.

Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai said the district council was monitoring the Covid-19 situation closely.

"Despite the water shortage, we want to reinforce the need to wash hands, and we urge people to be prepared, not alarmed," Mai said.

"It's also very important that people turn to the right authorities for situation updates, to avoid the spread of misinformation. The Ministry of Health are posting regular updates online, along with Covid-19 fact sheets. Always follow the advice of medical professionals."

Travellers who have visited or transited through Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand, and have developed symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath are asked to register your details with Healthline 0800 358 5453 and to self-isolate for 14 days.

Travel restrictions coming into force today prevent foreigners travelling from or transiting through mainland China or Iran from entering New Zealand.

The Prime Minister also announced yesterday that Mainland travellers coming from Italy and South Korea as well as China and Iran would need to self-isolate for 14 days and complete a form to enable health officials to contact those individuals.

The accommodation downturn is not just being felt in the tourism sector.

Ed Lyman owns the Bay of Islands Country Lodge at Puketona Junction, south of Kerikeri, and caters mainly to truck drivers and sales reps.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, however, he has seen a sharp drop in business from stock and freight trucks.

Much of that was driven by a drop in trade with China but made worse by the drought.

Normally a drought would bring an increase in stock trucks as farmers sent animals to the works, but they were now struggling to sell their animals.

Some truck drivers had told him they'd been told to take two weeks' holiday because there was no work for them.

In the week since last Monday he'd had 11 truckies stay the night when he'd normally expect about 30.

While he never had a lot of log truck drivers staying at the motel the number of logging trucks passing his gate had plummeted in recent weeks.

Pharmacies and supermarkets have reported a high demand for hygiene products – especially face masks and hand sanitisers which are out of stock in most stores.

"Given the current high demand, pharmacies have experienced varying levels of stock availability and demand for products like hand sanitisers, face masks and cough and cold medicines," Glenn Mills, Green Cross Health general manager for pharmacies and professional services, said.

A Foodstuffs spokesperson said since the hardest hit stores were those in the greater Auckland area they were prioritising deliveries to these stores over the next couple of days.

"Many household essentials saw a significant increase in sales over the weekend including toilet paper, bread and milk. These products are made or manufactured in New Zealand and are not under threat and shoppers should look to shop for these items as they normally would. Stockpiling puts stores under unnecessary pressure and delays when they can replenish stock and limits availability for other shoppers."

How to take precautions
•Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with water and soap and dry them thoroughly, before eating or handling food and after using the toilet
•Stay at home if you are sick
•Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and then wash your hands
•Clean surfaces regularly
•Avoid close contact with people with cold- or flu-like illnesses
•Contact your GP or Healthline 0800 358 5453 or +64 9 358 5453 for international SIM