SDHB COVID-19 Daily Update 17 Feb 2022

We have implemented this daily COVID-19 media release to update case numbers and inform the media and public of the situation across the Southern region.  

Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO. 

Close contacts 
As of 1pm Thursday 17 February there are 350 close contacts isolating throughout the Southern district. 228 of these are in the Queenstown-Lakes district.  

Moving to digital notifications 
As New Zealand moves into phase 2 of our COVID-19 response we are collectively moving towards digital solutions to contact tracing and self-isolation. Text message notifications to inform someone they have been identified as a case started yesterday afternoon. If you receive a text message, then please click on the link provided and fill your information into the form. This will put you into the system used by the Southern district and New Zealand, for monitoring and follow up. Best of all, the data used is free.  

Hospital services 
Planned care at our hospitals (elective operations and procedures) will continue. As an extra layer of protection for patients and staff, a COVID-19 test will be required 48-72 hours prior to surgery. This can be conducted at any community testing centre. Patients will be contacted by their Planned Care Team if they will require a swab for their procedure. 

Visiting our hospitals 
We have put additional safeguards in place at our hospital to protect our patients and staff. Visitors are required to wear medical masks and other PPE as required. Visitors with mask exemptions are not able to enter our hospitals.  

• Patients in our wards may have a maximum of two registered visitors during their entire admission. Only one of the registered visitors may visit each day. Exceptions may be made in time-sensitive palliative care situations and/or when people need interpreters or other equity-related support.  
• One support person, who has been screened and approved by the relevant area, may attend outpatient appointments and ambulatory care (walk-ins).  
• Maternity services: Where there is no suspicion of COVID-19 contact or symptoms for either the patient or support person, one key support person (one partner OR one birthing partner) can accompany patients into the assessment room and birthing suite. Detailed information is available on the Southern Health website.  

Locations of interest 
All up-to-date locations of interest can be found on the Ministry of Health website. This list is constantly updated as new locations come to light. There have been some central delays in locations of interest going on the website, so please keep checking. From now on, only high-risk locations of interest will be put up.

There can be many reasons why there are no identified locations of interest. This could include that people didn’t go out in the community during their infectious period, or that all people at the locations they visited have been able to be contacted and notified, or it was a classified low-risk location of interest. There is further information on the Ministry of Health website that explains how locations of interest notifications work. 

Individual case enquiries  
For privacy reasons, the SDHB does not share personal information about people who have tested positive for COVID-19 unless there are compelling public health reasons to do so. This includes the number of close contacts associated with exposure events 

Reducing your exposure to COVID-19  
Now that we have COVID-19 circulating in our communities, we are all at risk of being exposed. At all times practice good hygiene, especially when you are socialising.  Get your booster, wear your mask, wash your hands, and keep physically distant from others. These actions will slow the spread and help flatten the curve. If you develop cold or flu like symptoms, please isolate and get tested for COVID-19 immediately.  

Testing 
If you have symptoms or have been at a location of interest and have been advised to get tested, please get tested and stay home until you receive a negative test result. Otherwise, you do not need to get tested. It is important that we ensure people who are symptomatic or have been asked to get tested are able to do so. 

Due to our district’s geography, transporting swabs to the appropriate laboratory for testing may take some time – please be patient in waiting for your results. 

To access testing in Southern, please call 0800 VIRUS-19,  or check the WellSouth website for up to date information on where to get tested.

Key contacts 

• For questions about COVID-19 case numbers and vaccination, contact SDHB: communications@southerndhb.govt.nz
• For questions about COVID-19 testing and case monitoring in the community, contact WellSouth: communications@wellsouth.org.nz    

Media enquiries:
Southern District Health Board Communications
communications@southerndhb.govt.nz.