Coronavirus: Friendships flourish in unexpected Kiwi bubbles
Sisters Sue Bremner, left, and Margaret Hannay cooking together in their unexpected bubble in Hannay's Auckland home. LONG-LOST SISTERSBorn in England 71 years ago, Margaret Hannay was adopted out when she was just two weeks old. JOHN HANNAY Margaret Hannay (second from left) meeting her three siblings for the first time: from left, John, Sue and Lawrence Connell. "In 2000, my dad said I had a sister, but it took until last year to find Margaret," Bremner says. "It's ridiculous…utterly crazy," Margaret Hannay says.
Source:Stuff
April 03, 2020 02:15 UTC
Crisis tells us who the real workers are
In the new societal caste system imposed by Covid-19, essential workers can rightly feel more important and valuable. READ MORE:* Coronavirus: Foodstuffs announces pay increase for supermarket staff* Coronavirus: Ryman Healthcare gives essential workers pay boost* Coronavirus: Walkout works as Sistema workers get time off* Coronavirus: What are essential services? We shouldn't forget that many of these boring, repetitive and physically demanding jobs are done by workers in New Zealand on work visas getting the minimum wage. The question of who is and isn't essential in a crisis is a matter for endless debate. There are many other ways of occupying the wage-subsidised and turning them into essential workers.
Source:Stuff
April 03, 2020 02:15 UTC
Buses may look empty but keep them going - ECan councillor
Thousands of people are still relying on public transport. Environment Canterbury councillor Phil Clearwater says even though the numbers appear low, these buses are still performing an important service. “Those 3250 people need public transport," he said. Photo: SuppliedCr Clearwater said that across the public transport service, additional measures have been put in place to keep staff and passengers safe. "Without this funding, the impact on the public transport industry would have been drastic."
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2020 01:41 UTC
Timaru cat burglar Stig struggling with lockdown
Stig the cat burglar has a message for South Canterbury during the lockdown. The escapades of Timaru's famous cat burglar Stig have been curtailed by the coronavirus lockdown. "He's such a friendly cat, he likes to mix with other cats when he goes outside," Peckitt said. Peckitt said Stig was not enjoying lockdown very much. "But I'm looking forward to this lockdown finishing so Stig can carry on with his adventures and return to his cat burgling ways.
Source:Stuff
April 03, 2020 01:18 UTC
Coronavirus: Self-isolating Christchurch freedom campers rounded up
Freedom campers at Naval Point on the second day of coronavirus lockdown. Freedom campers around Christchurch have been rounded up for the coronavirus restriction period. READ MORE:* Coronavirus: Police help round up Whangārei freedom campers* Coronavirus: Freedom campers put into lockdown in Marlborough* Police offer 'advice and encouragement' to freedom camper spotted cooking in lockdown* Coronavirus: Tough lockdown for tourists caught in campervansCouncil head of parks Andrew Rutledge said the freedom campers were moved because they were not fully self-contained and where they had set up was not equipped to deal with them. Rutledge said he was not aware of any formal complaints from the public about the freedom campers. Last Thursday, several of the freedom campers told Stuff they had limited options in their cramped spaces, but were trying to follow the rules.
Source:Stuff
April 03, 2020 01:18 UTC
Six new Covid-19 cases in Canterbury over past 24 hours
There were six new cases of Covid-19 in the Canterbury District Health Board area over the past 24 hours, pushing the total up to 59. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said on Friday 49 new confirmed and 22 probable cases had been found in New Zealand over the past 24 hours - the national total now stands at 868 cases. There are currently 10 cases in the South Canterbury DHB area. The Canterbury DHB remains seventh behind the Southern, Waikato, Auckland, Waitemata, Capital and Coast and Counties Manukau DHB areas. Total cases by DHBAs at 9.00 am, 3 April 2020Note: Yesterday (2 April 2020) Taranaki showed 15 Cases.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2020 01:18 UTC
Family's plea to see dying grandfather
John Parkes is nearing the end of his life after a battle with cancer - and all he wants is for someone to hold his hand. "We all know the importance of the Covid-19 lockdown and we all really appreciate the healthcare team are doing for my grandfather. Yesterday, however, was particularly difficult for both Parkes and her grandfather, who became emotional when his granddaughter was told she had to leave. Robert Parkes, said his father had been tested for Covid-19 and the result had come back negative. His father deserved to have his family around him and deserved that care and respect at the end, he said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2020 00:56 UTC
Sixteen Kiwis 'trapped' on cruise ship
Sixteen Kiwis are "trapped" on a cruise off Uruguay with an escalating crisis on board. The doctor is among nine people still on the Australian-flagged cruise ship who have fevers, according to the latest update from Aurora Expeditions. They left New Zealand on March 11 and their cruise left Argentina on March 15 "before anything untoward happened", Tina said. We have been in contact with the Atgen-Diagnostica Lab in Montevideo that is approved and authorised by the Uruguay Health Ministry. The ship left Antarctica early, skipped the planned leg of the journey in South Georgia and headed to the Falkland Islands.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2020 00:45 UTC
71 new Covid-19 cases, 53 now linked to Bluff wedding
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield has revealed 49 new confirmed cases and 22 probable cases, bringing the New Zealand total to 868. Dr Bloomfield also revealed the number of cases linked to the Bluff wedding cluster had climbed to 53, an increase of 19 on the day before. It is unclear how many of the cases linked to the wedding are in the South, but the Otago Daily Times understands the wedding was attended largely by out-of-towners. The wedding was held at Oyster Cove Restaurant and Bar on March 21, attended by about 70 people. Dr Bloomfield said the increase in the number of cases connected to the wedding was down to people who went to the wedding being tracked down.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 03, 2020 00:33 UTC
Live: Covid-19 update, number of new cases to be revealed
The Government is set to begin its daily press conference updating the nation on its response to the Covid-19 pandemic at 1pm and will reveal the number of new cases. Yesterday had biggest jump in new casesIt comes as Dr Bloomfield revealed that yesterday across New Zealand there were 76 new confirmed cases and 13 new probable cases (a total of 89 new cases), bringing the total number of cases in the country to 797. "The goal is to get the number of cases right down again, and as soon as we can. "We want to be able to release, or step down from, Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3. The SDHB area yesterday had 118 cases, still higher than anywhere else in New Zealand, including Waikato (117) and Auckland (116).
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 02, 2020 23:48 UTC
Christchurch experts cautious but optimistic over Covid-19 drug
Professor David Murdoch, dean of Otago University, Christchurch, is more guarded about the promise of hydroxychloroquine, although not dismissive. Professor Stephen Chambers, an infectious diseases physician at Otago University in Christchurch, said hydroxychloroquine was among the leading contenders for a possible cure for Covid-19. After international attention - including Trump claiming, without evidence - that it could be a "game changer" against Covid-19, Pharmac said demand for hydroxychloroquine spiked in New Zealand. "There's been a lot of interest in the use of this product for treatment of Covid-19. Pharmac has now restricted access to the drug to patients who need it for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and malaria.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 02, 2020 23:37 UTC
Prolonged recovery expected for airline industry
A full airline industry recovery from the coronavirus looks prolonged at best, analysts said. New data showed international seat capacity had fallen to 23% of last year's levels and around half the world's airplane fleet is in storage. Data firm OAG said several years of industry growth had been lost and it could take until 2022 or 2023 before the volume of flyers returns to the levels that had been expected for 2020. Cirium, another aviation data provider, said around half of the world's airplane fleet was now in storage. "We believe the airline industry will look very different when we get to the other side of this."
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 02, 2020 23:15 UTC
British govt sets goal of 100,000 tests per day
Britain's health minister promised a tenfold increase in the number of daily tests for coronavirus by the end of the month. The government had faced criticism for failing to roll out mass checks for health workers and the public. "I am now setting the goal of 100,000 tests per day by the end of this month. The number of coronavirus deaths across the United Kingdom rose to 2921 as of April 1. Tests are seen as essential for fighting the virus and nursing the economy back to health by allowing those with immunity to return to work.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 02, 2020 22:52 UTC
National says getting out of lockdown a 'priority' for economy
National Party finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith told Morning Report the "number one priority that we have as a country is to get out of lockdown as soon as we can". Goldsmith said for the lockdown to be successful, authorities needed to work towards it ending. Goldsmith said the Government needed to be more open with its economic and modelling data so people could make informed decisions. "The most important thing for the economy is for us to get out of lockdown as quickly as possible." Yesterday he announced a new scheme that will offer a total of $6.25 billion in loans to New Zealand businesses.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 02, 2020 22:41 UTC