Ashley Bloomfield

The Covid-19 contact tracing system is coming under increased pressure and scrutiny.

The Health Ministry says tracing is vital but admits its new national tracing centre is locked into using only its… Audio

New Zealanders will learn today how much tougher their lives will be as the government looks at whether to ban gatherings of more than 100 people.

Earlier this week the Prime Minister banned crowds… Audio

From today every traveller who lands in New Zealand is being met by a health official at the airport with instructions on how to manage two weeks in isolation.

Customs has also closed its e-gates and… Audio

There have been no more confirmed or probable cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, but health officials are ramping up their efforts to stamp out the virus.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield… Video, Audio

A third person has tested positive for Covid-19.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told Morning Report the positive test was returned on Wednesday night.

He says the person who tested… Audio

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield joined Kim in the studio to discuss the significance of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in New Zealand and how the Ministry of Health is responding. Audio

UPDATE 17:35: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed the Covid-19 case being tested in NZ is positive. A person in their 60s is in Auckland Hospital. They are a permanent resident to NZ and had… Video, Audio

More than 150 Wuhan evacuees will walk out of an Auckland navy base in few hours time after two weeks in quarantine to ensure they are not infected with Covid-19.

But their rooms will soon be taken… Audio

There are now 1850 New Zealanders in self-imposed isolation after arriving back from China where the Coronavirus outbreak began.

Yesterday the Minister of Health announced customs and public health… Audio

Evacuees from Wuhan are now on their way back to New Zealand. The Air New Zealand plane left Wuhan just before seven this morning.

The flight will arrive at at Auckland Airport at about six thirty… Audio

New Zealand is advising its citizens not to travel to China because of the Wuhan coronavirus, and it's banned travellers from China from entering. Audio

All foreign citizens who've travelled from or through China will be barred from entering the country from today. There are more than 14,500 confirmed cases of Novel Coronovirus, with many of of them… Audio

A military training base in north Auckland is being turned into a quarantine centre for New Zealanders returning from Wuhan which is in lockdown because the Novel Coronavirus.

Dozens of people will… Audio

The Ministry of Health is telling anyone travelling from China to New Zealand to isolate themselves for 14 days after arriving in the country.

However, no cases of the virus have been confirmed in… Audio

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says the charter plane that will bring New Zealanders home is "almost wheels-up" pending sign-off.

It's likely to leave within days.

It's still unclear what… Audio

This afternoon the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and the Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay explained the work that's happening to make sure New Zealand is prepared to… Audio

A month on from the deadly Whakaari volcano eruption, staff at burns units across New Zealand continue to work tirelessly to help victims, many of whom are from overseas.

Thirteen people remain in… Audio

The government has activated its 'Multiple Complex Burn Action Plan' for the first time in New Zealand history as hospitals deal with an unprecedented level of critical burns patients.

Nearly thirty… Audio

As the country's measles outbreak continues, parents and GP practices are expressing frustration as stock runs out and vaccinations have to be cancelled. The outbreak is acute in Auckland, where… Audio