Covid 19 coronavirus: Covid patient dies in hospital, two new cases in managed isolation

The Ministry of Health has revealed someone who had previously tested positive to Covid-19 has died after being admited to hospital for the treatment of a "serious non-Covid-19 related condition".

There are two new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation and no new cases in the community today.

The Ministry said in its daily 1pm update that it was "very sad to confirm" the death of a patient with Covid-19 at North Shore Hospital.

The statement added: "The patient was transferred from a Managed Isolation Facility into hospital-level care for the treatment of a serious non-Covid-19 related condition on 5 February.

"This person subsequently returned a positive result for Covid-19 following their admission. This positive result has been reported previously.

"The patient spoke with family daily, either by zoom or phone."

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said: "On behalf of New Zealanders, I want to recognise this family's loss.

"This is a time for us all to offer our deep sympathy, while also respecting the family's privacy."

Meanwhile, the Ministry said the new new confirmed cases were related to people who had travelled from India, via the United Arab Emirates, on February 9.

The country's total number of confirmed cases is 1972. The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,583,469.

On Friday, laboratories processed 4,683 tests.

Of Friday's cases in managed isolation cases, one case arrived on January 26 from the UK and travelled via Singapore. They tested positive on about day 16.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed that New Zealand's frontline border workers will start to receive the first Covid-19 vaccinations from next Saturday.

From February 20, border and MIQ workers in Auckland will be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking to media in Auckland this morning, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would take roughly two to three weeks for all 12,000 frontline workers to receive the jab.

After that rollout is complete, their family members will be offered the vaccination.

"Healthcare and essential workers and those most at risk from Covid-19 will follow in quarter two, before vaccination of the wider population in the second half of the year," Ardern said.

She added that it would take all year for the full vaccination programme to be rolled out in its entirety.

"This will be New Zealand's largest-ever vaccination campaign."

Today was the first time the Government has put any kind of timeline on the vaccine rollout.

Yesterday's sole new Covid case arrived on February 8 from the US. The infection was picked up as a result of day 0 testing.