New Zealanders are being asked to sign up to a weekly flu tracking survey to help monitor the spread of COVID-19.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said this was an existing tool that used a weekly email to ask participants whether they had symptoms of a fever or cough the past week. That questionnaire had now been to include COVID-19 questions, such as whether you have had a swab or test for COVID-19.

“I would encourage everybody to help contribute to our tracking of COVID-19 by registering online on the flu tracker survey.”

There are now 589 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in New Zealand, 75 more than yesterday. Sixty-three people have recovered.

There are currently 12 COVID-19 patients in hospital, with three expected to be discharged soon. 

There is one in-patient at Gisborne, Waikato, Whangarei, Dunedin, Auckland, Nelson, Blenheim and Taranaki hospitals, and four in Wellington. Two patients are in intensive care.

Dr Bloomfield said there was still a very clear link to overseas travel and close contact with existing cases.

“On the 455 cases where we have sufficient information presently, 57% of those have a direct link to overseas travel, 26% are close contacts of existing cases and 15% have both overseas travel and/or close contacts, and just 2% are currently community transmission. That’s around 10 cases that we know are definitely community transmission.”

Meanwhile, people who usually got an annual influenza vaccine were being asked to wait while priority was given to those aged over 65, those with pre-exisiting medical conditions, pregnant women and children with a history of respiratory illness, along with frontline health and other frontline workers.

 “You should not be seeking a vaccination or expect to be called for a vaccination if you are not in one of those groups until at least mid-April,” he said.

There would be plenty of vaccinations, with 400,000 (30%) more available this year, Dr Bloomfield said.

Police Commission Mike Bush said New Zealanders, in general, were “complying brilliantly” and understood the need to stay at home in order to save lives. Those people were also passionate about ensuring that others also complied – so passionate that an online reporting system, where people can log concerns about people they think might be flouting the rules, went live at 1pm yesterday and was overloaded with 4200 reports in less than 24 hours.

Mr Bush said on his own observations, he was concerned that people did not always appear to be keeping social distance when out and about exercising. He reiterated that people should stay local to their home.

“That doesn’t mean wandering off five or miles. It means stay in your neighbourhood, stay close to home and really keep their social distancing.”

“I think if people aren’t complying we’re going to have to revisit this,” he said.

View the full briefing below