Taranaki's chief medical advisor, Dr Greg Simmons, has advised the number of people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains at two in Taranaki.
This follows the Ministry of Health's announcement earlier today that Taranaki had one more confirmed case suggesting a total a three cases for the region, but this was due to a double count of an existing case.
Dr Simmons says "we still only have two people with confirmed COVID-19 in Taranaki who are both in self isolation at home and not in the hospital".
While visiting hours themselves remain the same, and can be found on the Taranaki DHB website, the number of support people accompanying patients to appointments, and the number of visitors a patient can have, will change.
At both Taranaki Base and Hāwera hospitals, from tomorrow, only one support person is allowed to accompany someone going to the emergency department.
All outpatient appointments, including oncology, are also limited to one support person per patient.
Only parents can now visit patients in the neonatal ward and the children and young person's ward.
On the labour and maternity wards, an allowance of two people is made per patient. One named support person as well as one named significant other.
A limit of one visitor per patient at any one time will be in place for all other inpatient wards and services.
No children under the age of 16 will be allowed to visit the hospital other than as a patient themselves.
Exceptions can be made, at the discretion of clinical nurse managers on a case by case basis. Toady's emailed statement says exceptions may include situations involving end of life care.
"It's vital that we reduce the numbers of people coming into our facilities to reduce the opportunity for any infections to spread. I would like to thank people in advance for their cooperation and playing their part to keep our patients and staff safe," said Gillian.
She said outpatient clinics and planned surgeries are currently under review to ensure the health board can continue to manage urgent patients' care.
"This means some routine patients will have appointments postponed and we will be focusing on those with the most urgent needs."
Some consultations may now be managed in different ways, including phone, telehealth or community visits.
The health board advises people with continued outpatient appointments, who are self-isolating, are unwell or have potentially been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, to not come in.
Instead they should call the phone number on their appointment letter or email TDHBCovid.Enquiries@tdhb.org.nz.
Only people with symptoms should call Healthline's COVID-19 line on 0800 358 5453.