More than 20 hospital workers have gone into self-isolation after the first person in New Zealand to die of Covid-19 was initially treated as an influenza patient.
At a press conference today Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield confirmed a woman in her 70s on the West Coast has died.
The woman died in Grey Base Hospital.
She also had a "chronic under-lying health condition" according to Dr Bloomfield.
"As a result of the initial diagnosis of influenza and then the subsequent confirmation of Covid-19 there was a period when staff treating the woman were using protective equipment suitable for influenza, but not Covid-19," Dr Bloomfield said.
There are nine people in hospital around the country, one of those in critical care, and with the number of cases continuing to rise, there are assurances hospitals and staff can cope.
"Once the diagnosis was confirmed staff took a range of measures to protect themselves and other patients.
"However as a precautionary approach, the DHB has placed 21 staff in self-isolation for the balance of 14 days from their last involvement in the patient’s care.
"Family members visiting the woman in hospital, who do not have symptoms, will also be in monitored self-isolation for the next 14 days," he said.
Dr Bloomfield also said there were 63 new cases of coronavirus in New Zealand, made up of 60 confirmed cases and three probable cases. The total number of cases in New Zealand is 514.
Nine people are in hospitals throughout the country, with one of those people in intensive care.
There are now 56 people who have recovered.
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