Covid 19 coronavirus: Whanganui urged not to be complacent as we enter level 3

Officials have expressed concern at the amount of activity in Whanganui on Tuesday as the country moved to alert level 3.

The move allows businesses to reopen if they can do so safely but people need to remain at home and in their bubble unless traveling to work, exercising or accessing essential services.

Simpson said the community needs to remain vigilant.

"I just wonder if our community has fully comprehended what alert level 3 actually means because it did feel like a normal day, there was a lot of traffic on the road and a lot of people out," Simpson said.

"Effectively treat level 3 as they did level 4 and the key message really is staying at home, where possible working from home and making sure the bubble stays as small as possible.

"The last thing any of us would like to see is a rise in cases as a result of people being complacent."

Outdoor exercise is okay under level 3 but officials want communities to keep up their efforts with social distancing and not be complacent. Photo / Bevan Conley

Chairwoman of Hauora A Iwi, Mary Bennett, said level 3 was about being vigilant.

"The support that the community are able to give to those who are either alone or at home or are vulnerable in some way is always helpful."

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Despite all nine confirmed and probable cases having recovered in the region, the cause of the eighth confirmed case, a person aged 20-29 in the Whanganui District, is still under investigation.

The ninth case remains probable despite two swabs returning negative.

Whanganui's medical officer of health Dr Patrick O'Connor said, "The only reason they are still classified as probable is part of a possible mechanism by which the infection might have been introduced into the household also on the basis on the basis of what was described as an indeterminate test result at first."

O'Connor said he was moderately confident there was not any community transmission within the region but he is going to "stay a little on edge" for 28 days following the onset of the incubation period.

"Unless we achieve the elimination of this virus in New Zealand in the short term we are going to have this issue around for a wee while yet and so we are just going to have to have that ingrained sense of sensible social distancing," he said.

Covid-19 in NZ — 18th December

2110

10

new

Total confirmed and probable cases

51

⬆︎8

Active cases

0

In Hospital

0

In ICU

2034

⬆︎2

Recovered

25

Deaths

427

⬆︎10

Border cases

Last updated: Fri 18th December at 12:17 am

Go here to see all our Covid-19 data

There were a number of checkpoints over the Anzac weekend but no arrests have been made in the last week. Photo / Bevan Conley

Over the Anzac weekend, area commander for Whanganui-Ruapehu, Nigel Allan, said police operations conducted were similar to those that were run over Easter with a number of checkpoints stopping traffic across the region.

Allan confirmed there had been no charges in the last week but over the last five weeks 32 people have been warned and seven people have been arrested and released with a warning.

He confirmed that six people had been charged and put before the court for obstructing the restrictions.

Meanwhile, testing procedures at community assessment centres will remain the same over level 3 and Simpson encouraged anyone with a cough or running nose to be tested.

Eighty-three people were tested over the three-day weekend.

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