We are at Level 4 of New Zealand’s four-level COVID-19 alert system. It is likely Level 4 measures will stay in place for a number of weeks. More information on alert levels.

  • Everyone must now stay home, except those providing essential services.
  • Only make physical contact with those that you live with.

Government COVID-19 Response Briefing

The All of Government COVID-19 National Response will provide an update at 1.00 pm today.

Speakers:

  • Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
  • Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health

Ministry of Health Update:

  • Death in Invercargill last week confirmed as Covid-19 related
  • 9 new cases, 4 confirmed and 5 probable.
  • 1431 cases in total and 912 recovered, up 45 on yesterday.
  • 3 people in ICU
  • 2 in critical condition.
  • 4146 tests processed yesterday. Average 3151 is the rolling y day average. 83k conducted to date.
  • 16 significant clusters
  • 131 healthcare workers are confirmed or probable cases. 43 recovered.
  • Contact tracing system that NZ began the crisis with was a more localised one.
  • Since built a more national one.
  • Not at the level he wants for contact tracing to go to level 3. That’s the first signal they aren’t ready.
  • Talking about being ready in about a week
  • Flannel on testing rates
  • It sounds like contact tracing isn’t quite at the level it should be to relax restrictions.

Prime Minister Update:

  • Negative framing by PM, lots of vocal fry, grimaces and sighs
  • Certainly not upbeat
  • Decision will be shared at 4pm tomorrow.
  • The DG must be satisfied there’s sufficient data from a number of sources.
  • And the effects on the economy will be considered too.
  • Pushing open and transparent.
  • This isn’t upbeat at all, sounds very much like conditioning
  • Focus on protecting health, too bad about the economy.
  • Now campaigning outlining how fantastic her achievements have been
  • Talks about the $9b in wage subsidies, misses out it is double the forecast
  • Meaningless waffle really from the PM today. Certainly nothing at all important
  • PM says if you have a sniffle or a sore throat, get a test…ignoring no one has been able to get those tests until now

Yesterday’s details:

  • 13 new cases
  • Total cases is now 1422
Logarithmic Chart

COVID-19 – current cases

Total       Change in last 24 hours
Number of confirmed cases in New Zealand1,0984
Number of probable cases3335
Number of confirmed and probable cases1,4319
Number of cases currently in hospital18-2
Number of recovered cases91245
Number of deaths110

Notes:

  1. A probable case is one without a positive laboratory result, but which is treated like a confirmed case based on its exposure history and clinical symptoms. For more details please refer to Case definition of COVID-19 infection.
  2. Recovered cases are people who had the virus, are at least 10 days since onset and have not exhibited symptoms for 48 hours, and have been cleared by the health professional responsible for their monitoring. 
  3. The number of confirmed and probable cases reported in the last 24 hours includes cases which were entered on an earlier date as ‘under investigation’ or ‘suspected’ whose status has now been changed to confirmed or probable.

View details of confirmed and probable cases.

View details of significant COVID-19 clusters.

View testing data by region.

View interactive map and dashboard.

Confirmed and probable cases by DHB

Total cases by DHB in hospital

DHBTotal cases
Auckland4
Counties Manukau2
Northland1
South Canterbury1
Southern1
Waikato2
Waitemata7
Total18

Note: Three of the 18 in hospital are in ICU as at 8.30 am 19 April 2020.

Download the Map of confirmed and probable cases by DHB (PDF, 282 KB).

Total cases in hospital by DHB

DHBActiveRecoveredDeceasedTotalChange in last 24 hours
Auckland46139 1850
Bay of Plenty1332 450
Canterbury647971503
Capital and Coast42492930
Counties Manukau2783 1100
Hawke’s Bay1922 410
Hutt Valley713 200
Lakes511 160
Mid Central625 310
Nelson Marlborough939 480
Northland1710 270
South Canterbury96 150
Southern62154 2160
Tairawhiti40 40
Taranaki311 140
Waikato909311841
Wairarapa08 80
Waitemata84127 2115
West Coast13150
Whanganui17 80
Total5099111114319

Source: ESR EpiSurv extract as at 09:00 19 April 2020

Epidemic Curve

Total Cases by Age and Gender

Ethnicity percentages of all cases

Transmission

Transmission type % of cases
Contact with known case54%
Recent overseas travel39%
Community transmission4%
Source under investigation2%

Lab testing and capacity

Lab TestingTestsDate
Total tested yesterday4,14618 April 2020
7-day rolling average3,15112 April to 18 April 2020
Total tested to date83,22422 January to 18 April 2020
Supplies in stock91,05919 April 2020

Source: ESR EpiSurv extract as at 09:00 18 April 2020

For a detailed break down of ethnicity and DHB region testing see Testing by region.

COVID-19 – tests by day and cumulative

DateTests per dayTotal tests (cumulative)
22 Jan – 8 Mar 300
9-Mar12312
10-Mar89401
11-Mar83484
12-Mar31515
13-Mar35550
14-Mar34584
15-Mar142726
16-Mar3251051
17-Mar6591710
18-Mar12092919
19-Mar12914210
20-Mar15545764
21-Mar11766940
22-Mar12568196
23-Mar10509246
24-Mar154410790
25-Mar259213382
26-Mar211715499
27-Mar206717566
28-Mar180919375
29-Mar91820293
30-Mar139121684
31-Mar209323777
1-Apr256226339
2-Apr344629785
3-Apr363133416
4-Apr309336509
5-Apr370940218
6-Apr290843126
7-Apr404947175
8-Apr399051165
9-Apr452055685
10-Apr306158746
11-Apr242161167
12-Apr166062827
13-Apr157264399
14-Apr210066499
15-Apr366170160
16-Apr424174401
17-Apr4,67779078
18-Apr414683224

Note: Two sets of cumulative test data have been reconciled to give cumulative total from 22 January 2020 when testing began.

A contribution from The BFD staff.