Coronavirus: 18 new cases, no further deaths on Easter Sunday
Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there are 18 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, with 14 confirmed and four probable.
There were no further deaths, however Bloomfield said "we may well see further deaths" at a Christchurch rest home.
The new total of combined and probable cases is 1330, he said. Now, 471 people have recovered, an increase of 49.
There are 14 people in hospitals, and five in ICU beds with one in a critical condition.
Bloomfield said that members from the Rosewood resident home were still being monitored.
"We may well see further deaths over the coming days, I'll just be honest with you about that," Bloomfield said about the Rosewood residents.
He said there were now three significant clusters at aged-care facilities, with two in Christchurch and one in Waikato.
The elderly were particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, he said. The ministry had been working with aged-care facilities, asking them to restrict visitors very early on, he added.
On Saturday, he asked DHBs to "systematically" assess each facility, to ensure they're reducing any risk to residents and staff, including assessing protective equipment stocks.
"Any staff who are unwell, even with mild symptoms, do not come to work," Bloomfield said.
There were 2421 tests processed on Saturday, reflecting the quieter Easter break.
Bloomfield confirmed there are 13 New Zealanders returning from a cruise ship that docked in Uruguay and was afflicted by the virus. They would go through the quarantine process.
