Timeline - Coronavirus

Timeline - coronavirus - COVID-19

29 December

2019 Chinese authorities advise the WHO of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause, originating in Wuhan, Hubei province 

7 January 2020

China isolates a novel coronavirus, at first called 2019-nCoV and later SARS-CoV-2 

13 January  

First lab-confirmed case outside China identified, in Thailand 

30 January  

WHO declares the epidemic a global health emergency

3 February  

New Zealand temporarily bans entry of foreigners from, or who have travelled through, mainland China 

3 February  

Homecoming New Zealanders are exempt but must self-isolate for a fortnight

3-4 February  

Government-chartered plane flies to evacuate New Zealanders from Wuhan 

7 February 

Ministry asks arrivals from or via China to register their 14-day self-isolation with Healthline

12 February

Disease renamed COVID-19 

14 February

In New South Wales, GPs told to consider COVID-19 testing of symptomatic travellers arriving from five Asian countries other than mainland China 

17 February

WHO says COVID-19 not as deadly as SARS or MERS

19 February

The 157 people evacuated to New Zealand from Wuhan are discharged from quarantine in north Auckland

20 February

Six New Zealanders enter the quarantine facility after being evacuated to New Zealand by air from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. Four New Zealanders from the ship were admitted to hospital in Japan with the virus

25 February

Daily tally of new cases outside China exceeds new cases in China for the first time

28 February

New Zealand's first confirmed case reported to Ministry of Health

28 February

Entry ban on foreigners from/via China extended to Iran. Returning New Zealanders exempt but must self-isolate

2 March

People arriving from northern Italy and South Korea must self-isolate for 14 days

2 March

Today's 24-hour tally of new cases nearly eight times higher outside mainland China than inside

3 March

WONCA Asia Pacific Regional Conference postponed. It was to have been held in Auckland in April

4 March

New Zealand's second confirmed case announced

5 March

Third confirmed case announced

6 March

Fourth confirmed case announced

7 March

Fifth confirmed case announced

11 March

WHO declares the outbreak a pandemic

11 March

Donald Trump announces suspension of travel from most European countries to US for 30 days from 13 March

14 March

New Zealand's sixth confirmed case announced

14-15 March

Case definition and access to testing widened

15 March

Announcement of seventh and eighth confirmed cases, in Wellington and Queenstown, the first two to occur outside Auckland

16 March

All passengers arriving in New Zealand, except those arriving from 17 Pacific island countries/territories, will have to self-isolate for 14 days

16 March

Government bans non-essential outdoor gatherings of 500-plus people; schools and universities exempt

17 March

Government announces $500 million in funding for health services to combat the disease, as part of $12.1 billion COVID-19 economic package

17 March

Four new cases announced. The totals now are 12 confirmed and two probable cases

18 March

Eight new cases announced - four in Auckland one in Christchurch, two in Waikato and one in Invercargill. The total is 20 confirmed; two probable

19 March

Eight new cases announced - two in Southern DHB area, two in Taranaki, one in Rotoura, two in Auckland and one in Northland. National total now 28

19 March

Government bans indoor events with more than 100 people; exemptions for workplaces, schools, supermarkets and public transport

19 March

Government advises New Zealanders not to travel overseas and urges New Zealanders who are travelling overseas to consider returning home immediately

20 March

Border closed to most foreigners. Exempted categories include essential health workers

20 March

Eleven new cases announced - five are in Auckland, two in Waikato, two in Wellington region, one in Canterbury and one in Hawke's Bay. Total is now 39 confirmed cases

21 March

Thirteen new cases announced. Total is now 52 confirmed cases and four probable cases

21 March

Alert level system announced. New Zealand is at Level 2

22 March

Fourteen new cases announced. Total now 66 confirmed cases and four probable cases

23 March

Thirty-six new cases announced. Total now 102 confirmed cases and four probable cases. Two cases of likely community spread, in Auckland and Wairarapa

23 March

Government lifts country to Alert Level 3 and announces widespread restrictions on movement will come into effect at 11.59pm on 25 March under Alert Level 4

24 March

Forty new confirmed cases announced, and three new probable cases. Ministry of Health starts announcing cumulative total of confirmed and probable cases as a combined tally, which now stands at 155

25 March

Fifty new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total is now 205

26 March

Seventy-eight new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 283

26 March

Case definition clarified in Auckland to include "justifiable clinical judgement"

27 March

Eighty-five new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 368

28 March

Eighty-three new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 451

29 March

New Zealand's first COVID-19 death - a woman in her 70s in hospital on the West Coast. Sixty-three new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 514

30 March

Seventy-six new confirmed cases, one of which was reclassified from probably. Combined total 589

31 March

Fifty-eight new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 647. Case definition widened: recent overseas travel/case contact dropped

1 April

Sixty-one new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 708

2 April

Eighty-nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 797

3 April

Seventy-one new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 868

4 April

Eight-two new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 950

5 April

Eighty-nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1039

6 April

Sixty-seven new confirmed or probabe cases. Combined total 1106

7 April

Fifty-four new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1160

8 April

Fifty new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1210

9 April

Twenty-nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1239

10 April

Second New Zealand death reported, a woman in her 90s who died at Burwood Hospital in Christchurch on 9 April. Forty-four new comfirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1283

11 April

Two new deaths, bringing the total of deaths to four. Twenty-nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total 1312

12 April

Eighteen new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1330

13 April

One new death. Deaths total: five. Nineteen new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1349

14 April

Four new deaths. Deaths total: nine. Seventeen new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1366

15 April

Deaths total remains nine. Twenty new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1386

16 April

Fifteen new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1401

17 April

Eight new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1409

18 April

Thirteen new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1422

19 April

One new death reported. Total deaths: 12. Nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1431

20 April

Nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined case total: 1440

21 April

One new death. Total deaths: 13. Nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1445

22 April

One new death. Total deaths: 14. Six new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1451. However, three of these cases were removed, pending further inquiries, on 23 April, because they may have been counted in reporting to the WHO by Uruguay, from where these three people returned to New Zealand. Revised case total: 1448

23 April

Two new deaths. Total deaths: 16. Three new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1451

24 April

One new death. Total deaths: 17. Five new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1456

25 April

One new death. Total deaths: 18. Five new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1461

26 April

Nine new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1470

27 April

One new death. Total deaths: 19. Five new confirmed or probable cases, and six probable cases reclassified as not a case or under investigation. Combined total down one to 1469. Alert Level reduced from 4 to 3 at 11.59pm

28 April

Three new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total: 1472

29 April

Two new confirmed or probable cases, and one probable case reclassified as confirmed. Combined total: 1474

30 April

Three new confirmed cases, and one probable case reclassified as not a case. Combined total: 1476

1 May

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1479

2 May

One new death. Total deaths: 20. Six new confirmed or probable cases. Combined total of cases: 1485

3 May

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1487

4 May

No new cases. One probable case reclassified as a confirmed case. Combined total remains 1487

5 May

No new cases. One previously reported probable case reclassified as not a case. Combined total confirmed/probable down one to 1486

6 May

One new confirmed case and one new probable case. Combined total: 1488

7 May

One new confirmed case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1489

8 May

One new confirmed case. One probable case reclassified as confirmed. Combined total: 1490

9 May

One new confirmed and one new probable case. Combined total: 1492

10 May

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1494

11 May

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1497

12 May

No new cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1497

13 May

No new cases. In stages over the coming days, New Zealand moves from Alert Level 3 to 2 from 11.59pm

14 May

No new cases

15 May

One new confirmed case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1498

16 May

No new cases

17 May

One new confirmed case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1499

18 May

No new cases

19 May

No new cases, but four confirmed cases are added to the total who tested positive in Uruguay before returning to New Zealand in April. Uruguay did not report those cases to the WHO. Combined New Zealand total of confirmed and probable cases: 1503

20 May

No new cases

21 May

No new cases

22 May

One new case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1504

23-27 May

No new cases

28 May

One new death, bringing the death toll to 22. No new cases

29 May - 7 June

No new cases

8 June

New Zealand now has no active cases. The last remaining case has been symptom-free for 48 hours, is regarded as recovered and has been released from isolation.

8 June

New Zealand steps down to Alert Level 1 from 11.59pm

16 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1506

18 June

One new confirmed case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1507

20 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1509

21 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1511

22 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1513

23 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1515

24 June

One new confirmed case. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1516

25 June

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total of confirmed and probable cases: 1519

26 June

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1520

27 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1522

28 June

Four new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1526

29 June

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1528. New Zealand has 22 active cases, all recently returned from overseas

2 July

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1530. Health minister David Clark resigns; replaced by Chris Hipkins

3 July

Details of a number of COVID-19 cases are leaked by Michelle Boag to National MP Hamish Walker, who leaks them to media; he later says he will not seek re-election

5 July

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1533

6 July

1 New confirmed case. Combined total: 1534

7 July

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1536

8 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1537. A man absconds from managed isolation in Auckland for more than an hour and tests positive

9 July

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1540

10 July

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1542

11 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1543

12 July

One new confirmed ase: Combined total: 1544

14 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1545

15 July

Two new confirmed cases: Combined total: 1547

16 July

One new confirmed case: Combined total: 1548

17 July

One new confirmed case: Combined total: 1549

18 July

One new confirmed case: Combined total: 1550

19 July

Three new confirmed cases: Combined total: 1553

20 July

One new confirmed case: Combined total: 1554

21 July

ONe new confirmed case: Combined total: 1555

24 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1556

24 July

Five people abscond from a managed isolation facility, making a total of eight who have done so

28 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1557

29 July

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1559

30 July

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1560

1 August

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1562

2 August

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1565

3 August

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1567

5 August

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1569

11 August

Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1574. Four of the new cases are in the community, in Auckland, and do not have a known source. It has been 102 days since the last case that was acquired locally from an unknown source.

12 August

Auckland goes into Alert Level 3 lockdown from midday, until midnight on 14 August.  The rest of New Zealand goes into level 2 for that period.

12 August

One new confirmed case in managed isolation, and four new probable cases in the Auckland community outbreak. Combined total: 1579

13 August

Fourteen new confirmed cases and four probable cases reclassified. Combined total: 1589

14 August

Twelve new confirmed cases and one probable case. Combined total: 1602. Current alert levels to be extended

15 August

Seven new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1609

16 August

Thirteen new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1622

17 August

Nine new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1631

18 August

Thirteen new confirmed cases and one probable case reclassified as under investigation. Combined total: 1643

19 August

Six new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1649

20 August

Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1654

21 August

Eleven new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1665

22 August 

Six new confirmed cases. Combined total 1671

23 August

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1674

24 August

Eight new confirmed and one new probable case. Combined total: 1683

25 August

Seven new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1690

26 August

Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1695

27 August

Seven new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1702

28 August

Twelve new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1714

29 August

Thirteen new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1727

30 August

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1729. Auckland steps down to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm, informally called "level 2.5" because of smaller permitted gathering sizes than the rest of the country

31 August

Nine new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1738

1 September

Fourteen new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1752

2 September

Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1757

3 September

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1759

4 September

One death, bringing the total number of deaths to 23. Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1764

5 September

One new death, bringing the total number of deaths to 24. Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1767

6 September

Five new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1772

7 September

Four new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1776

8 September

Six new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1782

9 September

Six new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1788

10 September

Four new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1792

11 September

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1793

12 September

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1795

13 September

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1797

14 September

One new confirmed case. Combined total: 1798

15 September

Three new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1801

16 September

One new death, bringing the total number of deaths to 25. One new confirmed case. Combined total of cases: 1802

17 September

Seven new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1809

19 September

Two new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1811

20 September

Four new confirmed cases. Combined total: 1815

21 September

New Zealand, except Auckland, moves to Alert Level 1 at 11.59pm

2021

14 February

Auckland put into Alert Level 3 lockdown at 11.59pm and the rest of the country is raised to level 2 - initially for three days - after three cases are detected in the community in south Auckland. They are a Papatoetoe High School student and her parents. Also, one new case in managed isolation

15 February

Five new cases in managed isolation, one of which is an historical case. The first two Papatoetoe-related cases, reported yesterday, are the UK variant

17 February

Two new cases in the community, both linked to the 14 February cluster. New Zealand has had 2340 cases (combined total of confirmed and probable), including 26 deaths

17 February

A third new community case reported for the day, making six in total so far in the south Auckland cluster; and one case in managed isolation

18 February

Auckland drops to Alert Level 2, from 3 (with specific restrictions for the Papatoetoe High School community until 22 February), and the rest of the country to level 1, from 2

18 February

Three new cases in managed isolation

19 February

One new case, making seven in the Papatoetoe-related cluster; and three in managed isolation, one of which is historical

19 February

New Zealand's first vaccination against COVID-19, using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Comirnaty. Vaccinators are the first recipients

20 February

Two new cases in managed isolation

20 February

Vaccination of border workers begins

21 February

One new case in managed isolation

22 February

One new community case, in the Papatoetoe-related cluster; and six new cases in managed isolation, four of which are historical

23 February

Three new cases in the Papatoetoe-related cluster (now 11 in total), and five in managed isolation. Auckland (except Papatoetoe High School community) drops to level 1

24 February

Two new cases in managed isolation

25 February

Three new cases in managed isolation

26 February

Two new cases in managed isolation; and one new case in the Papatoetoe-related cluster (now 12 in total)

27 February

One new case in managed isolation; and two new cases in the Papatoetoe-related cluster (now 14 in total)

28 February

Two new cases in managed isolation; one new case in the Papatoetoe-related cluster (now 15 in total). Auckland goes into level 3 lockdown at 6am, level 2 elsewhere

1 March

One new case in managed isolation