101 new cases for Q'town, 15 for Central

by Kim Bowden - Mar 03, 2022

Health officials have reported 597 new positive cases of Covid-19 reported in the Southern community today, with 101 of them in the Queenstown-Lakes area and 15 in Central Otago.

It brings the total number of active cases in the South to 6,169.

In the Queenstown-Lakes area, the total’s now 1095; in Central, it’s 145.

The Southern District Health Board says for privacy and workload reasons it’s unable to break the data down further by location, so it’s unknown exactly how many cases are in each of Queenstown, Wānaka and Queenstown.

Current cases as of 11.59pm, March 2, 2022 (Source SDHB) 

Territorial Authority 

New – Positive (PCR & RAT) 

Active Cases 

 

 

 

Central Otago 

15 

145 

Clutha 

20 

85 

Dunedin 

341 

4084 

Gore 

20 

80 

Invercargill 

30 

325 

Queenstown-Lakes 

101 

1095 

Southland 

20 

145 

Waitaki 

50 

200 

Unknown 

10 

 
Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.  Due to the increased used use of RATs and system lag issues there may be a discrepancy in the number of total active cases from the territorial authority break down breakdown. 

The advice from health officials: assume Covid’s in your community, and plan for it.

It’s what the district health board is doing.

Tomorrow, a five-metre by eight-metre tent will be erected at the entrance to Southland Hospital in Invercargill in a training exercise to prepare for an anticipated further surge in Covid-19 cases in the South.

It’s a repetition of a run-through done by hospital staff and emergency services in Dunedin yesterday to iron out any logistical or safety issues that could arise if Covid-positive patients arrive en masse in weeks to come.

For now, healthcare services are coping, the SDHB says.

“There is currently no impact on services as a result of staff being infected by Covid-19 or having to self-isolate.”

But, impacts as a result of Covid-19 in its workforce have been planned for, it says.

“The possibility of disruptions across the Southern health system, including in our hospitals, is a very real possibility going forward in this outbreak.

“As we see the number of Covid-19 cases in the community increase, it is not unexpected that our Southern Health workforce will also be directly affected, with some testing positive for Covid-19 or needing to self-isolate. 

“The Southern Health system has robust plans in place for a large-scale Covid-19 outbreak.

“Our hospitals, health system and staff are prepared for many different scenarios as the current outbreak unfolds.”

In the Southern region there are two people in hospital with the virus; Across the country, there are 503 - seven of them in intensive care.

The SDHB continues to urge people to plan now to self-isolate or care for vulnerable family members if they test positive for Covid.

People who test positive for Covid, and any whānau or housemates at the same residence, need to isolate for at least 10 days – day zero being the day of testing.

During this time, unless you are very sick, you will need to self-manage your isolation as much as possible.

“This could mean ordering groceries or food online, asking friends and whānau to drop off any medication you may need on the doorstep, and generally looking after yourself like you would if you had the flu or a cold.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has today announced rapid antigen tests (RATs) can be ordered for free online and picked up from collection points throughout the country.

The Ministry lists collection points in Queenstown, Wānaka and Alexandra, but not Cromwell.

The online process means the whole whānau doesn’t need to queue up at a testing centre when one person in the household gets sick, because you'll be able to collect RATs for everyone in your household, a spokesperson for the Ministry says.

RATs will still also be available without an order via Community Testing Centres, but only for eligible individuals.

Anyone who tests positive via a RAT is a case, there’s no need for a PCR test to confirm this, and they need to update their My Covid Record with their result, the SDHB says.

Things to know:

  • Testing locations can be found on the WellSouth website.
  • If you have any questions about Covid-19, self-isolation, or what you need to do if you test positive, please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
  • If you are self-isolating and require welfare support such as help getting groceries, please call 0800 512 337. This is for everyone, not just people already on a benefit.  
  • The best way to access the care and support that you and your household need is by filling out the form in the text message you receive after uploading your positive RAT result into your My Covid Record. Please do not delay filling out the form when you receive the text message.
  • If you need help uploading your positive RAT result into My Covid Record, call 0800 222 478.

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