New Zealand COVID-19 Update- Easter Sunday 2020

Happy Easter and Passover to all!

This is the brief third entry in my series about my experience in New Zealand in the age of COVID-19. We are in our third week of nation-wide shutdown and the evidence shows it is working so far. Since my last report two weeks ago the number of cases identified in New Zealand has gone from 451 to 1,312, and in the South Canterbury district from 3 to 11. We have had our first two COVID positive patients in the hospital, one a 30 y.o. doing well enough to go home, and another older patient not in the ICU. The curve is truly beginning to flatten, which is very encouraging.

 

The shelter in place orders have at least another 10 days to go. Assuming there is no major bump over Easter (which is a four-day weekend here including Good Friday and Easter Monday), perhaps we can slowly roll things back a bit. The first easing might be to allow restaurants to do fast food windows and take-away, but we'll see.

The hospital remains on high alert and every new phase is greeted with more anxiety, tension, and confusion than I would like to see, but we have not been overwhelmed, and I hope we won't be.
Two more deaths in the country were announced today bringing the total to four. Three of the four were from rest homes and the other suffered with chronic lung disease. The vast majority are connected to international travel so it seems like community transmission is thankfully still rare.
New Zealand's success so far has been noted in the USA. This Washington Post article is entitled "New Zealand isn't just flattening the curve. It's squashing It". The daily press briefing from the Prime Minister and health authorities strikes the right tone of concern, accuracy, guidance, empathy, and when needed a bit of scolding. 

The enemy

We are in a situation here similar to what I hear from my stateside friends and relatives: our bubbles are safe and calm for now but trying to prepare for what might come.
We are transitioning to a lovely autumn in Timaru, and we can still enjoy walks through the Botanic Garden and along the adjacent coastline.

Please all stay healthy and safe. I will continue to update periodically as things evolve here, and we still hope to make it back home mid-May.