13 new Covid-19 cases in New Zealand, no new deaths reported

April 18, 2020

Their projects, which will cost nearly $4 million, include focus on a controversial drug that has caught the US president’s attention.

Another 13 Covid-19 cases have been announced in New Zealand today, eight confirmed and five probable.

No new deaths have been reported since yesterday, with the national death toll remaining at 11.

The combined number of confirmed and probable Covid-19 cases is now 1422, the Ministry of Health announced today.

Today's update was provided via a text press release rather than an on-camera press conference.

Fifty-one more people have now recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 867.

Twenty people are in hospitals around the country being treated for the disease, including three people in intensive care in Auckland's Middlemore and North Shore hospitals and Dunedin hospital.

The patients in North Shore and Dunedin hospital are in a critical condition, the Ministry of Health says.

No new clusters have been identified, remaining at 16, however seven more cases have been linked to existing clusters.

The Ministry of Health says 4677 tests were processed yesterday, setting a new record high. Just over 79,000 tests have been processed so far, with an average of 2905 being processed each day over the last week.

Health officials are aiming to throw a net wide over large and random groups of non-symptomatic people.

TARGETED TESTING BRINGS NEGATIVE RESULTS

All 341 tests from a Queenstown supermarket have come back negative, with another 308 people tested in Waikato also coming back negative.

Canterbury community testing has also signalled negative results, with the Ministry of Health saying all processed tests so far have come back negative. It did not specify how many tests that is.

More testing is now taking place in Auckland, with sites set up at two supermarkets this morning. Around 150 people will be tested at each site.

The targeted testing is available to everyone, without Covid-19 symptoms being required.

It's hoped it will provide a broader picture of how the virus is spreading in different communities.

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