No new cases in Southern

The Ministry of Health has announced no new COVID-19 cases in the Southern district today, for the nineteenth consecutive day. The region’s total remains 216, with nine active cases, 205 now recovered and two deceased.

Please note confirmed and probable cases are combined, to match Ministry case reporting. For a breakdown by Territorial Authority please visit the Southern Health website:

https://www.southernhealth.nz/sdhbCOVID19/cases-updates

Planning for moving to Alert Level 2

Southern DHB Chief Executive Chris Fleming comments on moving from Alert Level 3 to Level 2, when the Government makes that decision:

After the Prime Minister’s briefing this afternoon outlining the principles of Alert Level 2, Southern DHB is continuing to plan further reinstatement of services and how it can operate safely for both patients, whānau and staff.

This is a continuously evolving situation and we are having to make decisions in real time, which are responsive to the changing circumstances.

The parameters outlined for Level 2 are pleasing and reinforce the confidence we will have in our achievements as a country when we enter this alert level. However vigilance will continue to be required and we all have a role to play in maintaining this.

Broadly we would expect a move to Alert Level 2 to continue the careful expansion of services that began under Alert Level 3.

With the move from Level 4 to Level 3 elective surgery and outpatient appointments have resumed where this can be done safely.

Under Level 3 patient contact is still only permitted where essential for treatment that cannot be deferred. Non-patient contact options, such as telephone or Zoom, have been expanded where appropriate to support treatment that had been deferred.

Decisions around how services will operate at Level 2 will be made over the coming days. This information will be made available to the public in due course.

Southern DHB thanks our patients, whānau and the wider community for their understanding and patience at this time.

We remind our community that our emergency departments are open and ready to assist people who need urgent medical treatment. I urge people who need treatment not to delay, but to come forward and seek the treatment they need.

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