There are 8 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand - one in Christchurch, two in Waikato and another in Invercargill, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says.
More clinics are being set up in communities all around the country to deal solely with the treatment of Covid-19.
The Ministry of Health today confirmed the move while an internal memo sent to staff at Counties-Manukau District Health Board this morning, reveals four will be set up in itsregion by tomorrow, five operating in the Auckland region this weekend.
The DHB is also due to announce stricter controls around its visitor policy on Monday.
A source in Hauora Tairawhiti - Gisborne district - has told the Herald three mobile clinics will also be set up in the area.
News of the clinics comes as the Ministry of Health's Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield revealed eight new coronavirus cases yesterday, bringing the country's total to 20.
Two of the new cases came from Waikato, four from Auckland and one each in Invercargill and Dunedin.
The clinics in south Auckland will be in Mangere, Takanini, Pukekohe and Botany, according to the email signed by DHB chief Margie Apa.
"Within the community we are working with primary care to stand up testing centres. We expect four to be set up in Mangere, Takanini, Pukekohe and Botany by Friday.
"These centres will not be open to the general public, rather patients will be referred there by their doctor or Healthline."
The DHB said Middlemore Hospital was currently testing on average 20 patients a day for Covid-19 but it had capacity to test for more if required.
"We have had no positive results to date through our laboratory."
In Gisborne, all of its clinics will be mobile, one being a converted dental van.
Two will be based in the city and one in the rural town of Te Puia.
Counties Manukau DHB is due to announce stricter controls around its visitor policy on Monday. Photo / Michael Craig
The news of clinics being set up to deal solely with coronavirus cases was a welcome relief to the New Zealand Nurses Union, who were wondering how other patients would be treated.
"This is a good idea," a spokesperson said. "They are a really sensible part of pandemic planning.
"Normal health care still needs to be provided to people with other health issues and flooding primary care practices with Covid-19 patients will only interfere with that and create a whole heap of other problems."
As for visiting its hospitals, Apa's email states that it "planned to publicise changes to our visitor policy from Monday".
"This may be challenging to our patients and their whanau in community. We will communicate both internally and with our community as we introduce any changes."
The DHB was also increasing "security and support and enforce these restrictions and you will see more signs going up around the hospital and publicity in community media".
It would also restrict other areas to "staff only".
"Some parts of the hospital will also be restricted to staff and card only access."
Apa admitted it was a "challenging time" that would likely impact the hospital for about 6 months.
"I suggest that you prepare for a six-month disruption to our usual business and community routines.
"It is a season and will end but the important goal I have is to get us all through well and healthy having given our best to our community."
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the new Community Based Assessment/Testing Centres [CBACs] were designed to take the load off general practice teams and emergency departments and reduce exposure risk for healthcare workers in other walk-in care locations.
The centres would be able to take swabs from every person who needs to be tested.
"Currently we are in the Keep it out/Stamp it out phase of the pandemic and levels of Covid-19 swabbing are being well managed by GPs and hospitals.
"As the number of suspected cases increases, more swabs will need to be taken in order to support contact tracing and our efforts to contain the disease."
The CBACs were being established by DHBs as required to support the effort and would vary from region to region.
"They may take the form of specially designated GP practices or new locations set up to only focus on testing."
Five would begin operating in the Auckland region this weekend and "be geographically spread across the region to maximise accessibility for communities".
"A further seven facilities will be added during the following week to further increase access for rural communities".
In the Wellington region, Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley, and Wairarapa DHBs are planning to establish CBACs in areas that ensure vulnerable communities with low primary care coverage had access to testing.
"All medical centres and GPs will still be able to collect test samples for Covid-19 testing, if necessary."
Canterbury DHB was the first to announce its CBAC in operation this week. It is set up close to Christchurch Hospital in a stand-alone building.
"This centre will see people who report having symptoms of Covid-19 and are referred by any Canterbury GP or the Emergency Department. It's planned that this dedicated testing centre will be up and running this week."
An assessment centre would also open in Dunedin today.
The facility is based in Caversham.
The spokesperson said Healthline [0800 358 5453] remained the first point of contact for people who were unwell and had symptoms of Covid-19.
"Healthline who will provide guidance on whether testing is needed and will indicate whether people should contact their GP for a referral to a testing centre."
