Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay says further deaths from Covid-19 can't be ruled out from a cluster of cases at a Christchurch rest home.
Two of New Zealand's four Covid-19 deaths have been residents from Rosewood Rest Home.
A woman in her 90s - whose death was announced yesterday - and a man in his 70s - whose death was announced today - both died at Burwood Hospital after being one of 20 residents transferred there from Rosewood Rest Home.
There are 30 people with Covid-19 at the rest home, including confirmed and probable cases involving staff and residents. How the cluster at the rest home began is being investigated.
"Due to the underlying vulnerabilities of this group, we cannot rule out further serious illness or deaths within it," Dr McElnay said at a media conference today.
"Today's news reinforces the importance of our move to alert level four and the measure we are all taking to limit spread, break the chains of transmission and prevent deaths."
There have now been four deaths in New Zealand connected to coronavirus. (Source: Other)
She also gave an update on Covid-19 cases across New Zealand.
Today there are 29 new cases, made up of 20 confirmed cases and nine probable cases. The national total is 1312.
Fifteen people are in hospital, with five currently in intensive care.
There are 422 people who have recovered from the virus in New Zealand.
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