Coronavirus live updates: latest information on the COVID-19 community outbreak – Sunday, August 29
11:47 – The Department of Health said 73 of the 429 current cases of COVID-19 in Auckland are essential workers according to RNZ reports.
Between August 18 and 27, 55% of positive cases were considered contagious while in the community, a spokesperson told RNZ
11:30 a.m. – COVID-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop said in a statement that the raw numbers were not enough.
“The ministry needs to release more sophisticated information like other jurisdictions do. New Zealanders have a right to know what’s going on,” Bishop said.
There are five pieces of information that should be published daily:
1. Another breakdown of the gross number of total contacts, specifically listing the number of high-risk “closer†contacts that were tested and what the test results show.
2. Much more detail on the number of cases each day, including whether they are family contacts, whether they contracted Covid-19 from or at a place of interest, a critical workplace, or if the source is currently unknown.
3. How many essential workers tested positive and how many were contagious in the community.
4. Whether there has been community transmission of Covid-19 outside of a domestic bubble since the lockdown.
5. What is the current estimated effective “Râ€.
“A lot of people are concerned that until now the number of daily cases continues to rise. This growing number of cases may not be of concern if the public can see that the bulk of our cases are in. made family or other close contact. “
11:10 a.m. – The Department of Health has updated the list of places of interest by adding the Mount Terrace apartments in central Auckland.
The full list can be viewed here
10:43 a.m. – Professor Michael Baker warned that New Zealand may never return to level 1 as we know it.
Speaking on Sunday morning on RNZ, the epidemiologist also said the current outbreak could exceed 1,000 cases.
“It can be difficult to get back to Alert Level 1 in New Zealand… I don’t think we will go back to Alert Level 1 as we know it,†Baker told RNZ.
10:33 – Newshub cameraman Nick Estelrich reported a queue of up to five hours at the Ellerslie Racecourse Test Center.