Covid 19

The Chinese government has suggested that travel restrictions imposed on Chinese arrivals are politically motivated - with New Zealand yet to decide whether it will require mandatory Covid-19 testing… Audio

New Zealand health officials reportedly agreed with Australian counterparts that introducing mandatory Covid-19 testing for travellers from China was an overreaction.

Australia's chief medical officer explicitly advised the Albanese government not to introduce mandatory Covid-19 testing on travellers from China a day before the measure was announced.

The Ministry of Health said it received 1863 reports of positive cases on Sunday.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker says New Zealand should follow Australia and other countries in implementing a requirement for negative Covid-19 predeparture tests for travellers from China.

The government has identified individuals and groups in line to receive a special honour for their role in fighting Covid-19.

RSV, the flu, Covid-19 and strep throat infections are surging in the northern hemisphere and in six months' time these will probably be here too, says Professor Amanda Kvalsvig.

Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China as Covid-19 cases in the country surge.

Medical experts believe an international increase in measles cases will soon reach New Zealand.

Health officials say the lack of data they're getting from China is concerning.

The leading epidemiologist says pre-departure testing would protect other travellers, but tests on arrival would likely do little to help.

Today's Covid-19 case numbers are the highest in a week - but still significantly less than a peak earlier this month.

American officials say there is a lack of transparency surrounding Covid-19 in China, as cases surge.

Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure as a surging Covid-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak prompted some countries to consider new travel rules on…

New Zealand has no plans to test international arrivals, as some countries tighten restrictions for travellers from China where case numbers are soaring.

More than 32,000 new cases have been reported in the last week, but numbers are down on the week before.

China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine starting from 8 January, the National Health Commission says.

Hundreds of people are spending their Christmas in hospital with Covid, while thousands more are at home, but in isolation.

Bloomberg News reported today that nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with Covid on a single day this past week, citing estimates from the government's top health authority.