Covid 19 coronavirus: What you need to know about Thursday's big developments

The amount of new coronavirus cases in New Zealand has reached its highest level so far, as plans begin to allow foreigners to leave the country and for essential workers to receive income through the Government's new leave scheme. Get all the important news and read the full stories in the links below.

Key developments in NZ

• There are 89 new cases of coronavirus in New Zealand - the most recorded in a single day so far. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said this showed New Zealand was not yet "flattening the curve" in terms of daily case rises - noting it will be another week before the nationwide lockdown will have observable effects on the numbers. The 89 new cases are made up of 76 confirmed cases and 13 probable cases. It brings the total to 797 cases since the start of the pandemic. Ninety-two people have recovered, while 13 people are in hospital and two are in ICU.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield speaks to media. Photo / Getty Images

• Foreigners stranded in New Zealand will start leaving the country from tomorrow. Tens of thousands of holidaymakers will able to make a "safe, orderly exit", Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said. Under the managed exit plan, foreign nationals returning home will be considered to be engaging in "essential travel", and therefore able to travel domestically (whether by air or land) when they have a confirmed and scheduled international flight out of New Zealand. Foreign governments will also be allowed to organise charter flights to repatriate their citizens, but only if they can satisfy New Zealand health requirements.

Listen live to Newstalk ZB's coronavirus coverage

• Essential workers who take leave from their jobs to comply with public health guidelines can now access a leave scheme to ensure they continue to receive income. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the scheme is available from next Monday. The scheme supports any front-line workers who are vulnerable and can remain at home.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media. Photo / Getty Images

• The National Party says meetings of top ministers should not be done through video link service Zoom, given security concerns. Reports have emerged that flaws within Zoom's security system could give hackers access to their target's microphone and camera. There are also concerns that changes in Zoom's terms and conditions allow the company to keep chat messages and files exchanged in meetings. When asked about the issue, Ardern said Zoom had only been used once in Cabinet, but she is seeking the GCSB's advice, and if they advise against using the service, it will no longer be used in Cabinet.

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Around the world

• The death toll in the UK has soared again, with 563 deaths and 4324 new cases recorded in one day. The dramatic spike sees the number of total deaths reach 2352 with almost 30,000 known to be infected, as debate rages on the country's testing programme. The huge leap in fatalities is 48 per cent higher than the previous day's total of 381 and makes the UK now the fifth worst-affected nation in Europe.

• Every few days brings another grim milestone in the coronavirus outbreak. First Italy and Spain surpassed China in reported deaths. Then, this week, the United States and France did. But did they really? Scepticism about China's numbers has swirled throughout the crisis, fuelled by official efforts to quash bad news in the early days and a general distrust of the government. Long lines of people waiting to collect the ashes of loved ones at funeral homes last week revived the debate.

• While the coronavirus continues to sweep the world, there are some countries that have managed to avoid it so far. More than 800,000 cases of Covid-19 have now been confirmed across 178 countries, with Europe and the United States the new epicentres of the crisis. More than 38,000 people have died. However, several countries still have just one or two cases but many have none – with 19 countries yet to contract the virus.

Business update

• Bauer Media – publishers of a range of New Zealand magazines including Woman's Day, the Listener, North & South and Metro – have announced its intention to close its publishing business. The closure brings to an end many decades of publishing in New Zealand, with about 300 staff out of jobs.

• One of the biggest areas of uncertainty at the moment surrounds the Government's wage subsidy for businesses that have taken a substantial revenue hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost daily, Herald journalists have received a series of questions from both employers and employees desperate to understand the intricacies of the wage subsidy and how it works. Employment law specialist Catherine Stewart answers the most pressing questions facing workers and their bosses in these uncertain times.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

In sport

• Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War II. After an emergency meeting, the inevitable decision was made to cancel the grass-court Grand Slam, which was scheduled to start on June 29. Organisers had already ruled out playing in front of empty stands or attempting to take advantage of the postponed Olympic Games by shifting the tournament.

• Elsewhere in the sporting world, Kiwi skipper Dean Barker reveals the impact that the pandemic is having on the America's Cup, former Silver Fern Cathrine Tuivaiti opens up on the "terrifying" situation she and her family face as they remain trapped in Italy, while Michael Guerin analyses the news the racing industry didn't want to hear.

Check our graphic for the latest case numbers in New Zealand and around the world.

TO READ THE HERALD'S FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE CLICK HERE

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

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