Today, there are 76 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

One of our probable cases has now been confirmed as having COVID-19 and is therefore one of the 76 confirmed cases. There have been no other probable cases reported today, so the number of probable cases has dropped by one to 37. 

There have been no additional deaths. 

There are 63 reported cases which we can confirm have recovered.

The combined total of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand is 589, 75 more than yesterday taking into account the reduction in probable cases. 

Today we have 12 people in hospital with COVID-19. It is good news that 3 of these people are soon expected to be discharged. 

The locations are as follows:

Gisborne Hospital – 1 

Waikato Hospital – 1 

Whangarei Hospital – 1 

Dunedin Hospital – 1 

Auckland City Hospital – 1 

Wellington Hospital – 4 

Nelson Hospital – 1 

Wairau Hospital (Blenheim) – 1 

Taranaki Base Hospital – 1 

Two of these people are in ICU. For privacy reasons we won’t be providing other details on these patients.

Our laboratories are working to process and report test results as quickly as possible. Over the last seven days our average daily test number is 1728.

As usual, people being tested are expected to be in strict self-isolation until advised of the result of their test.

We are still seeing a strong link to overseas travel, as well as links to confirmed cases. For instance in yesterday’s new cases, more than half continued to be linked to overseas travel.

Summary

As at 9.00 am, 30 March 2020

 Total to date (New in last 24 hours)

Number of confirmed cases in New Zealand 552 (76)

Number of probable cases 37 (-1)

Number of confirmed and probable cases 589 (75)

Number of cases in hospital 12 (0)

Number of recovered cases 63 (6)

Number of deaths 1  (0)

Transmission

We have information about how cases were transmitted for 455 of the current cases.

Source of transmission, as at 9.00 am 30 March

Source of transmission % of cases

Recent overseas travel 57%

Contact with known case 26%

Overseas travel and contact with known case 15%

Community transmission 2%

Data is being updated on the Ministry's website each afternoon at Current cases.

Flu vaccinations 

More than 800,000 influenza vaccines have been distributed to vaccination providers.

This ensures vaccines are available to vaccinate our priority groups, such as those over 65 years old, pregnant women, children with a history of respiratory illness and frontline workers.

It's great that so many New Zealanders are keen to protect themselves by getting the flu vaccine.

It's worth noting that influenza immunisation doesn’t normally start until April, and the flu season doesn’t normally start until late May.

So we ask for people’s patience while our health system works through any backlogs. There will be more stock available in the first half of April. 

Flutracking 

Flutracking is an online survey which asks if you have had a fever or cough in the last week and which can help us track COVID-19. 

Registering online will help our surveillance efforts by providing early detection of community spread of the flu and also of COVID-19 symptoms.

We encourage people to register online at the Flutracking website.

This is a practical thing everyone can do to help us monitor flu and COVID-19 symptoms throughout NZ.