There are 89 new cases of coronavirus in New Zealand, Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says. It brings the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 1039.
New Zealanders are due to find out today whether or not the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown will be extended.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says that will ultimately be decided based on a number of factors - including three elements she described as "key" to their decision-making.
"The level of increase inour cases. Secondly, what we're seeing in community transmission and thirdly what we will see from the extra testing that we intend to see at regional level - because that will give us a better insight into what's happening locally.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"Those are three early indicators, but I'm filling in a little bit more with some of our clinical experts at the moment as to other factors we should consider."
Ardern has given those details in an interview with Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking, as the country wakes up to day 12 of the four-week long nationwide lockdown.
She noted that distribution of tests around the country was an important issue. She wanted to make sure those who needed to get tested, in particular, were.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has also given an update on the situation this morning.
He said the country was not yet testing at capacity because labs have more capacity than we need. The extra capacity was also being kept for non-coronavirus related tests.
New Zealand was ahead of just about every other country in terms of testing rates, he said, and ahead of some Australian states but behind New South Wales.
Bloomfield said the country has seen an "encouraging" flattening of growth in cases and that was partly because we had moved to alert level 4 early rather than moving slowly towards a complete lockdown - as seen in other countries.
The Ministry of Health is working with district health boards to make sure that when New Zealand moved back to alert level 3 important appointments and elective surgery would be carried out.
A testing station in Māngere, South Auckland. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Hospitals around the country were running at 50 to 60 per cent capacity, he said, meaning there were about 1000 empty beds.
Intensive care unit staff are being trained and hospitals are getting ready while there are fewer people in hospital.
Ardern also revealed that the Ministry of Social Development was due to release data on the number of people who had applied for help via benefits.
That information was expected on Thursday, she said.
On essential items now available to be purchased online, Ardern said although that was a good thing, she acknowledged that the public needed to remember that also meant more workers would be out there also - packing and delivering those items.
Ardern's words came shortly after the Queen gave a rare speech to the world - only the fifth time she has done so in her 68-year reign.
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The latest number of confirmed and probable cases reached 1039 yesterday, as 89 new cases were announced.
Of those new cases, 48 made up were regarded to be confirmed Covid-19 cases while the rest were said to be probable.
A total of 15 people were in hospital and three people were in intensive care. Of those patients, two people are in a critical condition.
Along with those cases came the official announcement and clarification on such activities as swimming, surfing, fishing, hunting and tramping - they are now all banned.
