'Don't let up, we are doing the right things'

Alice Angeloni Reporter from Marlborough Express

In the last week, the number of coronavirus cases across the country has doubled and health leaders in Nelson and Marlborough are grateful people are sticking to the rules in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

Nelson Marlborough Health chief medical officer Dr Nick Baker said as the Covid-19 situation unfolded, it resembled the 1918 influenza pandemic in many ways, especially in the way it had spread around the globe.

"We know that left to its devices, this virus will cause a nasty sharp spike of cases and we will have a three month epidemic which will overwhelm our health system.

"Without the impact of mitigation, no health system on this planet can cope with a full blown Covid-19 outbreak," Baker said.

"The big message from me this week is, don't let up, we are dong the right things, don't get a false sense of security because the numbers of new cases might have dropped.

"This isn't over."