COVID-19 death

At a press conference today (Friday), the Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said the man had returned from India where he had recently undergone cardiac-related surgery.

The man contracted COVID-19 in India.

There were nine border quarantine cases reported from Fijians who were repatriated from India on 1 July.

The cases were confirmed on 20 July.

According to Dr Waqainabete, each of the patients have been securely isolated and have not had any contact with the public.

There has been no new COVID-19 case since 20 July.

Dr Bloomfield said New Zealand had its first death after a woman who was initially diagnosed with influenza died.

The woman who died was in her 70s, from the West Coast. She died this morning.

"Understandably the family would like to take their time to grieve," Dr Bloomfield said.

"This latest sad news reinforces our move to alert level four."

He said 21 DHB staff who treated the woman when her diagnosis was thought to be influenza had been asked to self-isolate.

Dr Mike Cruz, the government official leading the coronavirus response, said the woman was a relative of a person who recently returned to the territory with Covid-19.

He said the woman had "multiple co-morbidities", including end-stage renal disease, which compromised her immune system.

Dr Cruz said there are 15 confirmed cases of the virus on Guam, with the government on Sunday morning declaring a major disaster.