A top Kiwi doctor says people staying home during the coronavirus lockdown will save more lives than he ever could in his career.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield quoted the Wellington-based doctor at this afternoon's Covid-19 briefing.
"As Wellington hospital intensive care specialist, Dr Paul Young said today in the media," Dr Bloomfield said.
"If New Zealand pulls together as a community and stays at home, you will save more lives than I will in my entire career."
That's the stark warning from researchers at Auckland University, who're using statistical modelling to plot our Covid-19 response.
It comes as New Zealand recorded its first death due to the Covid-19 coronavirus today.
The sad news was announced at a news conference involving the Prime Minister and Ashley Bloomfield.
Dr Bloomfield confirmed a woman in her 70s on the West Coast, who was initially thought to have influenza, had died.
She did have an underlying health condition.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at the presss conference that "it is a very sad day".
"It also brings home exactly why we are taking such strong measures to stop the spread of this virus," she said.
"Our older New Zealanders and those with underlying health issues are by far at the most risk, it is critical that we all stay at home to to give our older New Zealanders as much protection as we possibly can, and our shield of protection for these people is physical distance.
"Today's death is a reminder of the fight that we have on our hands and it's a reminder of why it's so important, and everyone can play their part with the simplest of tasks, by not having contact with people outside of your bubble. Stay home, break the chain and save lives.
"No one wants loss of life, that's why we are all presently self-isolating, to try to prevent that as much as we can."
The total number of cases in New Zealand is 514 with nine people in hospitals throughout the country, one of whom is in intensive care.
There are now 56 people who have recovered.
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