



"Sadly, today I am reporting the death of a woman in her 70s who had covid-19 infection," Dr Ashley Bloomfield says at the daily news conference on 21 April. The woman was at a rest home in Te Atatu, Auckland. Dr Bloomfield says five new cases have been identified in the last day.

On 22 April, six new cases and an additional death are reported. The latest death is a woman in her 80s, who was a resident of the Rosewood Rest Home in Christchurch, where covid-19 has led to multiple deaths. On 23 April, day 29 of lockdown, three new cases of covid-19 and two deaths are reported. One death was a woman in her 60s who was in intensive care in Dunedin Hospital. The other was a man in his 70s who was at Rosewood Rest Home.

On 24 April, five new cases of covid-19 are reported. The total in New Zealand is now 1456, with 1095 people recovered. The death toll is now 17. A death reported today was in a man in his 60s, who is the tenth person from the Rosewood Rest Home cluster to die. Worldwide cases of covid-19 have surpassed 2.6 million, with more than 186,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University CSSE's coronavirus map.

On Anzac Day, there are five new cases of covid-19. Another death is reported - a woman in her 70s died in Waitakere hospital, Auckland, where she had been transferred from St Margarets Hospital and Rest Home. This is the second death linked to the Te Atatu rest home. On 26 April, nine new cases are reported. Four are linked to existing clusters, and five are linked to known confirmed cases.

The following day, Monday 27 April, another resident of St Margarets Hospital and Rest Home - a woman in her 90s - is reported to have died. This brings the country's death toll to 19. The global death toll has surpassed 200,000 and confirmed cases are expected to reach 3 million in the coming days. As five new cases of covid-19 are reported in New Zealand, the country prepares to move into alert level three at 11.59pm.





Across the country, queues form outside fast food drive-throughs in the early hours of Tuesday 28 April, as New Zealand moves into alert level three. The change means food outlets like McDonalds can operate as long as they do so with strict physical distancing practices in place. The country will remain at this level for at least two weeks. On 11 May, Cabinet will announce the nation's next step in the fight against covid-19. At the daily 1pm media conference, three new cases - made up of two confirmed and one probable - are announced, with no new deaths. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says with more people returning to work under alert level three, the country needs to be even more vigilant, to prevent any inadvertent spreading of the virus. "There are still some smouldering ashes out there and it has the potential to become a wildfire," she says, quoting microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles.

On 29 April - day two of lockdown level three - two new cases of covid-19 are reported, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable cases of the disease to 1474. The Prime Minister says that yesterday, about 4 percent of children returned to early childhood education facilities and about 1 percent returned to schools.

The following day, three new cases are announced. One is linked to an existing case and the other two are under investigation.

MAY 2020

On 1 May, three new cases of covid-19 are confirmed. The following day, six, new cases are confirmed, as well as the death of a man, George Hollings, who was part of the Rosewood Rest Home cluster.

On 3 May, two new cases are reported, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable cases to 1487. Globally, 3,502,126 cases of covid-19 have been confirmed and 247,107 deaths have been attributed to the disease.

On 4 May, for the first time since 16 March, no new cases of covid-19 are reported in New Zealand. Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says "the real test" will be later this week; new cases then could indicate exposure after a shift to level three. The following day, 5 May, there are again no new cases.

On 6 May, two more cases are reported - one is part of the Maris College cluster and the other is linked to the St Margaret’s Hospital and Rest Home cluster, both in Auckland. The following day one new case of covid-19 is reported, in a person linked to a cluster of cases in Matamata. The Prime Minister reveals details of what life will be like at alert level two, if cabinet agrees to loosen restrictions when it meets on Monday.

On 8 May, the total number of covid-19 cases rises to 1490, as one new case is reported, and a probable case is confirmed. Ninety percent of all cases have now recovered, meaning the country has 143 active cases of covid-19.

On 9 May, two new cases are reported. Both are linked to the St Margaret’s Hospital and Rest Home cluster. The following day, two more cases are reported. One is linked to St Margaret's and the other to overseas travel. Globally, the number of cases has surpassed 4 million, with 1.3 million in the United States, 224,000 in Spain, 220,000 in the United Kingdom, 219,000 in Italy and 210,000 in Russia. The global death toll is 282,000, with the greatest number of deaths (79,000) occurring in the US. New Zealand's death toll is 21.

In Spain, football fans wear masks to fend off possible infection In Spain, football fans wear masks to fend off possible infection





On 11 May, three new cases of covid-19 are confirmed in New Zealand. Two are linked to St Margaret's and the third to overseas travel. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern outlines what the country's staggered move to level two, beginning 14 May, will look like.

The following day, 12 May, no new cases of covid-19 are reported. On 13 May, there are no new cases for a second day in a row. The total number of cases remains at 1497.

New Zealand enters it's first day at level two on 14 May, and for a third day in a row, no new cases of covid-19 are announced. Globally, the death toll approaches 300,000. The government unveils a $50 billion recovery package as part of Budget 2020.

On 15 May, a new case of covid-19, liked tot he Marist cluster, is reported. The following day, no new cases are announced. On 17 May, one new case, linked to the Rosewood Rest Home cluster in Christchurch, is confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 1499. The Ministry of Health says 96 percent of people in New Zealand with covid-19 have recovered.

On 18 May, no new cases of covid-19 are announced. There are 45 active cases in the country, with 1433 people having recovered and 21 deaths.

In New Zealand, no new cases are announced over the next three days. In a briefing on 20 May, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says there have been 106,000 cases of covid-19 reported to the WHO in the last 24 hours, the most in a single day since the outbreak began. "We still have a long way to go in this pandemic", he says.

Between 21 May and 27 May, one new case of covid-19 is reported in New Zealand. The case is linked to the St Margaret's Hospital and Rest Home cluster. The total number of cases in New Zealand is 1504, with 21 active cases.

On 28 May, no new cases are announced, but New Zealand's death toll rises to 22, after the death of St Margaret’s Hospital and Rest Home resident Eileen Hunter. The 96 year old survived covid-19, but died on 24 May.

The following day, for the seventh day in a row, no new cases of covid-19 are reported. Only one active case remains in the country.

Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The South American country's death toll has surpassed Italy's. Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The South American country's death toll has surpassed Italy's.

JUNE 2020

On 3 June no new cases are reported in New Zealand for the 12th day in a row. One case of covid-19 remains active. Globally, the number of confirmed cases is 6,378,239. Globally, 380,250 deaths are associated with covid-19.

On 7 June, New Zealand's one case of covid-19 remains active. Brazil has surpassed Italy as the country with the third highest covid-19 related death toll (35,930), after the United States (110,110) and the United Kingdom (40,625).

The following day, 8 June, the Ministry of Health reports that there are no more active cases of covid-19 in the country. “Having no active cases for the first time since 28 February is certainly a significant mark in our journey," says Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. "But as we’ve previously said, ongoing vigilance against covid-19 will continue to be essential."

At 11.59pm, the country moves to alert level one. Restrictions on work, school, sports, domestic travel and gathering size are lifted. Border controls continue - people entering the country will be tested and mandatory 14 day managed quarantine or isolation measures remain in place.

On 16 June, after 24 consecutive days without a new case of covid-19 in New Zealand, two new cases are announced. The Ministry of Health says the two new cases are related to the border, as a result of recent travel from the UK.

In the following days, further information relating to the new cases emerges, including that they are in sisters who were released from isolation to travel from Auckland to Wellington to visit a dying parent. The Prime Minister has described the incident as "an unacceptable failure of the system".

On 18 June, Ashley Bloomfield announces a new case of covid-19 in a man in his 60s who flew in from Pakistan and is in isolation at an Auckland hotel. This brings the total number of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand to 1507.

Over the next few days, several more people test positive for covid-19. All are recent arrivals into the country and all remain in isolation. On 22 June, the total number of active cases is nine.

As the number of flights into New Zealand increases, so does the number of new covid-19 cases caught at the border. On 29 June, the number of active cases is 22. All are in managed isolation. Globally, the number of cases has topped 10 million, with more than 500,000 deaths. Outbreaks are still spreading in many parts of the world, with 1 million new cases recorded in the last six days.

The Vila Formosa cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Vila Formosa cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil.





JULY 2020

A cluster of new cases of covid-19 in Melbourne has seen parts of the city put back into lockdown. This includes approximately 3000 residents of nine tower blocks in the inner city suburb of Flemington, about 80 percent of whom are refugees from East African countries. A heavy police presence at the apartments is stopping people from coming and going from the apartments, and concerns have been raised about residents' mental health.

On 6 July, 127 new cases are reported in Melbourne, bringing the number of cases in the Australian state of Victoria to 2660. In New Zealand, the number of active cases of covid-19 on 7 July is 22. Globally, 11.5 million cases of covid-19 have been confirmed and more than 536,000 people have died.

At 12 July, there are 25 active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand. All are in managed isolation. The total number of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand is 1544.

Globally, the pandemic continues to rage, with 12.9 million confirmed cases and more than 567,100 deaths. The number of cases in the United States is 3.3 million, with more than 135,000 dead. In Brazil, 1.8 million cases are confirmed - including in president Jair Bolsonaro. India and Russia are the third and fourth worst affected countries, followed by Peru, Chile, Mexico and the United Kingdom which has had nearly 300,000 cases and nearly 45,000 deaths.

At 23 July, there are 22 active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand. Globally, in the last 24 hours, the World health Organisation reports 247,225 new cases and 7097 new deaths.

AUGUST 2020

At 4 August, the number of active cases in New Zealand is 22. One week later, on 11 August, the number of active cases remains at 22. The total number of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand is 1570. The death toll remains at 22. In Victoria, the number of cases of covid-19 has surpassed 15,000. There have been 247 covid-19 related deaths in the Australian state.





At noon on 12 August, the greater Auckland region moves back into lockdown alert level three.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

The rest of the country moves into alert level two. The previous evening, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announce that, after 102 days without community transmission, four members of a family in South Auckland have tested positive for covid-19. The source of the infections is currently unknown. In addition to the four confirmed cases, there are four probable cases of covid-19 linked to the family. Police have set up nine checkpoints in and out of Auckland to monitor who is entering and leaving the city.

On 13 August, there are 15 testing centres open for Aucklanders to get swabbed for covid-19. Long queues have formed outside many of them. Ashley Bloomfield announces 13 new confirmed cases -12 are linked to the Auckland family, which has been identified as a cluster. This brings the total number of cases linked to the cluster to 17. One other case is in a person in managed isolation who entered New Zealand from the Philippines. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 36.

The following day, 14 August, 13 new cases of Covid-19 are reported -12 confirmed and one probable. Two of the new cases are in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that Auckland will remain at alert level three and the rest of the country will remain at alert level two for 12 more days. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 49. One person is in hospital.

On 16 August, the total number of active covid-19 cases in New Zealand is 69, including 49 from the Auckland cluster. The following day, nine new cases of covid-19 are reported in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces the General Election will be moved to 17 October.

There are 13 new cases of covid-19 in the community on 18 August. Of two cases of community transmission that had not been linked to the Auckland cluster via contact tracing, one has now been linked by genomic sequencing. The second case has been linked to a managed isolation hotel in Auckland, and is not related to the cluster.

On 19 August, six new cases of covid-19 are reported in New Zealand. Five cases are in the community, linked to the Auckland cluster, and one is an imported case. Five people are in hospital in Auckland. Globally, the number of cases has surpassed 22 million, as the death toll approaches 800,000. The following day, five new cases of covid-19 are confirmed, all related to the Auckland cluster.

On 23 August, the total number of active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand is 114. New Zealand's death toll remains at 22. The following day, nine new cases are reported. One case is in a person who arrived in New Zealand from overseas, and eight others are linked to the Auckland cluster. The number of active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand is 123. The Prime Minister announces that the Auckland region is to remain in lockdown level three until 11.59pm on 30 August. The remainder of the country will stay at level two.

On 25 August, Dr Ashley Bloomfield announces that there are seven new cases of covid-19 in New Zealand, six are linked to the Auckland cluster and one is under investigation. Of the 129 people with active infections, eight are in hospital. Three people are in a critical condition in intensive care units.

On 26 August, there are five new cases. Two community cases are linked to the Auckland cluster, one is under investigation, and two are in people who have arrived from overseas. The following day, six new cases in the community are reported, and another is detected at the border. The number of active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand is 126, of which 11 are imported.

Between 28 and 31 August, 36 new cases of covid-19 are reported, of which 23 are in the community. Nine cases among members of Mt Roskill Evangelical Church are being classified as a 'sub-cluster' (linked to the main Auckland cluster) by the Health Ministry. In the week ending 30 August, more than 1.8 million new covid-19 cases and 38,000 deaths were reported to the World Health Organisation.





SEPTEMBER 2020

The number of cases in New Zealand continue to rise, with five new community infections linked to the Auckland cluster, and nine new imported cases reported on 1 September. Globally 25 million cases have been reported, with nearly 850,000 deaths. According to the WHO, the Americas account for approximately 13 percent of the world’s population, but more than 50 percent of officially reported global cases and deaths.

On 4 September, as small numbers of new cases linked to the Auckland cluster continue to be reported daily, the Prime Minister announces Auckland will remain at alert level "2.5" until at least 16 September. The total number of confirmed and probable cases of covid-19 in New Zealand is 1764. The number of active cases is 112.

The death of father of four Alan Te Hiko, who was in his 50s, is reported as New Zealand's 23rd covid-19 fatality. That evening, former Cook Islands Prime Minister and prominent doctor, Joe Williams, 82, dies. The Aitutaki-born doctor was admitted to hospital on 13 August. His death brings the country's death toll to 24.

Between 4 and 6 September, nine new community cases are reported, eight of which are linked to the Mt Roskill church 'sub-cluster'. Four imported cases are reported over the same period. With 4.2 million cases of covid-19, India overtakes Brazil as the country with the second highest number of cases after the United States, which has reported 6.3m infections to the WHO.

On 8 September, six new cases are reported in New Zealand - two are imported cases and four are linked to the Mt Roskill Evangelical church. The following day, six new cases, all linked to the church, are confirmed.

On 10 September, four new cases of covid-19 are reported. Two are linked to overseas travel and two are linked to the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship. There are now 45 cases linked to the church, which has a congregation of 332 people. The following day, one new case, linked to the church, is reported. According to the Ministry of Health, 82 percent of the congregation has been tested for covid-19.

Over the following two days, four new cases - two linked to the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship and two linked to the border (one in a quarantine facility health worker) - are reported. On 12 September, despite the country remaining at alert level two with a maximum gathering size of 10 people in Auckland, a large anti-lockdown protest takes place in Aotea Square. On 13 September, there are 97 active cases of covid-19 in New Zealand.





At Waikato Hospital, on the afternoon of 15 September, revered Raukawa leader and historian Nigel Huirama Te Hiko dies. His death comes less than a fortnight after his brother Alan's.

The Tokoroa family of the brothers ask New Zealanders to be vigilant and cautious, saying the covid-19 is "so real".

New Zealand's death toll is now 25. As community transmission slows, on 17 September, all seven new cases of covid-19 are detected in people who have arrived from overseas and who remain in quarantine. The number of active cases in New Zealand is 77. The country remains at alert level two, with extra restriction in place for the Auckland region. Alert levels will be reviewed on 21 September. The number of global cases of the virus approaches 30 million.

At 20 September, the number of active covid -19 infections in New Zealand is 71. These include new cases linked to a man who tested positive after being released from a two week mandatory quarantine period. The man returned to New Zealand from India on 27 August and was released from an isolation hotel on 11 September, after returning two negative tests. He tested positive after developing symptoms on September 16.

The following day, 21 September, the government announces that restrictions on gathering sizes in Auckland will ease from 11.59pm on 23 September. The rest of the country will move down to alert level one at 11.59pm on 21 September.