TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 1 MILLION CASES AND COUNTING The number of cases of Covid-19 throughout the world has passed the one million mark. There have been nearly 52,600 deaths and nearly 210,600 are listed as recovered. New Zealand, as of yesterday afternoon, had 797 confirmed or probable cases. Tairawhiti still had just one confirmed case. COVID-19 • Testing to increase in Tairawhiti • Gisborne Airport restricted to essential flights only • No sign yet virus is under control in NZ • NZ testing slammed as ‘woefully inadequate’ • Expert says wear a surgical mask if available • 1355 die in one day in France • ‘Heart-breaking sadness’ as six-week-old dies • Trump resisting stay-at-home national order ‘Stay in your bubble’ Relocating to Coast not an option: DHB chairwoman by Wynsley Wrigley workers were working hard to “protect confirmed there had been no new cases home,” he stressed. our whanau on the Coast”. in the region. The number remains The message remained the same — PEOPLE seeking Covid-19 tests in “We can all support that by staying at one — a man in his 50s in a stable wash hands, practise social distancing Gisborne in order to move to the East where we are and staying in our own condition in Gisborne Hospital. and get vaccinated against influenza, he Coast where they will “feel safe” has bubble.” As of this morning said. raised the ire of health officials. The only people who 172 people had been The vaccine does not combat Covid-19 Hauora Tairawhiti board chairwoman should be travelling Now is the absolute tested for Covid-19 in but flu can lower a person’s immunity Kim Ngarimu said she was “really on State Highway 35 Tairawhiti. and make them more susceptible to other concerned” after receiving such feedback were essential workers ‘time to stay at home Hauora Tairawhiti diseases. from health workers. or patients being —Hauora Tairawhiti chief’ chief executive Jim Mr Green said while there had been “That is not OK,” she said. “I know it’s transferred. executive Jim Green Green, in response only the one positive case of Covid-19 hard when some of the people who you “The only chance we to a Herald reader in Tairawhiti so far, there was no room love are not in your bubble. have of keeping Covid-19 who asked if only one for complacency, and he urged people to “We’re all in that situation but we away from the Coast is if Tairawhiti case gave follow the isolation guidelines. must stay within our own bubbles. the rest of us stop going there. a false sense of security, replied: “Not “It can only infect more people if we We cannot relocate those bubbles to “We must all be in this fight against for us; nor should the public have that transmit it between us — we stop doing somewhere different.” Covid-19.” either”. that, it dies.” Ms Ngarimu said many essential A Hauora Tairawhiti spokeswoman “Now is the absolute time to stay at CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 21950-10 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Racing ................16 Television ...........20 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Classifieds .........17 Sport ............ 21-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World...... 13-14, 18 Literature ...........19 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, April 3, 2020 LET’S BAKE STICKY BUNS: Six-year-old Titous Hart-Bryant hard at work preparing some sticky cinnamon buns. MANY HANDS, LIGHT WORK: Phoenix and Hunter Battin busy in the kitchen. BIRTHDAY GIRL: Alexei Jackson turned 7 on Sunday so unfortunately did not get to celebrate it with her friends. Her family said she “wasn’t too happy” about her party being cancelled but they still made TASTE TEST: Evee Stewart-Elsmore inspects the the most of it. Happy birthday Alexei and ART AND BAKING: Kiana and Jack Buchanan display their creative efforts with gingerbread biscuits. ingredients while helping to make chocolate chip “pika pika”. cookies. LOOKING AHEAD TOMORROw Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • Red meat exports topped $920 million in February despite the Covid-19 home-delivered outbreak. • Beef and Lamb New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association spell out processing protocols during lockdown. • Feed support advice for farmers here and elsewhere struggling to get food for their stock. TIPS FROM HOMESCHOOLERS TOMORROw The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Grant Miller/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Friday, April 3, 2020 NEWS 3 Inconsistent supply of vaccine a distribution issue by Wynsley Wrigley patients into flu clinics, we have decided Director of Public Health Dr Caroline health workers. to get the stock first and then open up McElnay also said the issue was a The flu vaccine has been available for GENERAL practices are experiencing clinics.” distribution problem. those aged between six months and 35 inconsistent supplies of the flu vaccine. Nine hundred thousand vaccines Dr Bernd Stoltenberg of City Medical months since April 1, according to the 3 Rivers Medical clinical nurse leader had arrived in the country before the said flu vaccines “had rushed out” before Ministry of Health. Heather Besseling said they had an “ad Covid-19 outbreak and there was now a the beginning of the lockdown. In line with government restrictions hoc supply”’ of vaccine. worldwide shortage, she said. “There is certainly no delay in getting on GP practices, City Medical was “We are never sure of when we are The Ministry of Health had taken over vaccinated . until we run out,” said Dr conducting 80 or 90 percent of going to get the stock that we order,” she distribution of the vaccine to ensure Stoltenberg. consultations over the phone with said. equitable distribution after some areas The influenza vaccine was originally video consulting being trialled, said Dr “In order to manage this and to avoid received their second order before some only available for those aged over 65, Stoltenberg. a lot of work cancelling and rebooking had received their first. those with chronic health conditions and “These are odd times.” Gas bottle explosion injures two TWO men suffered burns yesterday afternoon after a gas bottle they were using exploded at a property in the Te Araroa area. Emergency services were notified at around 3pm. A St John ambulance crew from Ruatoria met a vehicle carrying one of the men on State Highway 35 near Tikitiki. “He was treated by the crew on the side of the road until the Trust Tairawhiti Rescue Helicopter arrived,” a St John spokesman said. “Shortly after the chopper had lifted off a vehicle with the second man inside arrived and he was also treated at the scene. “The chopper turned around, picked him up too, and both were flown to Gisborne Hospital. “Both men suffered moderate burns,” the ambulance spokesman said. Fire and Emergency NZ despatched crews from Te Araroa, Tikitiki and Ruatoria, but these were all recalled. There was no update available this morning on the condition of the two men. Found hiding in bush after CLIFFORD ST FLOODING TAKE TWO: A cyclist rides through flooding caused by a broken water main on Clifford Street yesterday — the second time it has happened this week. Residents had no water for a period early last night due to the breakage and subsequent fixing of it. Gisborne District Council sent workers to the area alleged assault at around 5.30pm yesterday to fix the main issue, which was in the same place as Monday night’s breakage. Affected households were on both sides of Clifford Street between Mangapapa Road and Wi Pere Street. It was fixed by 7.05pm A MAN was tracked by a police dog and and the water was turned back on. All residents in the area have been told to run their taps for two to three minutes to arrested yesterday after an alleged family harm release any air in the pipe. Picture by Chloe Underdown incident at a home at the Okitu end of Wainui Beach. Police arrested a 28-year-old Gisborne man for an alleged assault of a family member at about 10am. Police were called and used a dog team to locate the man. Testing to increase “He was tracked and found hiding in bush at the Makorori end of Okitu,” said Inspector FROM PAGE 1 least double” under the wider definition. transmit infection. Lincoln Sycamore. Doctors will refer people with Essential workers were among those The man has been charged with assault with Mr Green said he was happy with the respiratory illnesses to the medical who posed a bigger risk if found to be intent to injure and assault on a person in a level of testing in the district, which was assessment centre that had been set up Covid-19 positive. family relationship. approximate to the region’s share of the in the War Memorial Theatre in Bright “These people have bigger bubbles and Police opposed bail when the man appeared population. Street. therefore there are wider implications. in Gisborne District Court today. “We expect that will increase as the The facility is strictly for people who “People who live in vulnerable settings “We are working to support the family and case definition has expanded the group have been referred there by their GP.