1 December Cases of unknown pneumonia surface in Wuhan, China
31 December (International) New virus reported to World Health Organisation
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2020 ⇒
January 2020
15 January (International) First case reported outside of China (Thailand)
24 January (International) Cases reported in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Canada, France, and the United States (International) Virus confirmed to be transmissible
25 January (International) First three cases confirmed in Australia
28 January Ministry of Health sets up National Health Coordination Centre (NHCC)
30 January Infectious & Notifiable Diseases Order issued, requiring health practitioners to report any suspected cases
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February 2020
3 February Government announces that foreign travellers who left from China would be denied entry to New Zealand, with only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents and their family being allowed to enter. Foreigners who left China and spent at least 14 days in another country are permitted to enter New Zealand.
7 February Ministry of Health set up a dedicated Healthline freephone number for COVID-19-related calls.
8 February 2 New Zealanders aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess in Japan are confirmed to have the virus
11 February (International) WHO names the new disease COVID-19, short for coronavirus disease 2019 (International) Total deaths exceed that of the SARS outbreak of 2002-2004
17 February (International) First person outside of Asia dies (Chinese tourist in France)
24 February Ban on foreign travellers who left from China extended by eight days
28 February First confirmed case in New Zealand Government extends travel restrictions to include travellers from Iran
1 Case
0 Deaths
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March 2020
2 March Government announces any person who has visited northern Italy or South Korea must self-isolate for 14 days
4-7 March Second, third, fourth, and fifth cases confirmed (daily increases from there), including first person-to-person transmission in New Zealand
10 March (International) Italy goes on national lockdown
11 March (International) WHO declares an official global pandemic
12 March (International) United States suspends travel from Europe
14 March New Zealand starts announcing new cases daily, and that anyone arriving in the country must self-isolate for 14 days (save those from the Pacific)
16 March Prime Minister announces that any tourists that don’t self-isolate for 14 days will be deported Air New Zealand halts share trading Reserve Bank announces emergency cut of the Official Cash rate
17 March New Zealand Government announces $12.1 billion economic assistance package, including a $500 million boost for health, $8.7 billion in support for businesses and jobs, and $2.8 billion for income support.
18 March 20 confirmed cases
19 March 28 confirmed cases All indoor gatherings of more than 100 people are cancelled New Zealand Government closes the borders to everyone but citizens and permanent residents (first time in history)
20 March 39 confirmed cases
21 March 52 confirmed cases Prime Minister announces the new alert level system and that the country was moving to level 2
22 March 66 confirmed cases
23 March 102 confirmed cases (including first two cases of community transmission) Prime Minister announced country would, effective immediately (1.40pm) enter alert level 3, and that after Wednesday the country would go into alert level 4 for at a minimum 4 weeks
24 March 155 confirmed cases
25 March 205 confirmed and probable cases National State of Emergency declared at 12.21pm in Parliament Country entered alert level 4 at 11.59pm
29 March First NZ coronavirus-related death reported
205 Cases
23 777 Tests
1 Death
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16 Clusters
April 2020
2-5 April NZ peak level of new cases reached (89)
3 April (International) One million cases recorded worldwide Finance Minister announces changes to the Companies Act to help struggling businesses
5 April Ethnicity statistics are released on the cases
6 April (International) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hospitalised
7 April First time the number of active cases dropped (recoveries outnumbered new cases)
9 April Compulsory 2 week quarantine for New Zealanders arriving the country announced, to commence by end of the day
15 April (International) Two million cases recorded worldwide
13-19 April Death toll rose to 12
18 April (International) WHO releases data on cases by age and sex
20 April Prime Minister announced that the country would drop down to alert level 3 at 11.59pm on 27 April, and that the plan was to remain at level 3 for a minimum of 2 weeks, with a decision made on 11 May on whether to drop to level 2
27 April (International) Global death toll surpasses 200,000 and cases are expected to soon break 3 million
Country moves to alert level 3 at 11.59pm, 19 deaths.
205 Cases
139 898 Tests
19 Deaths
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May 2020
4 May First day in New Zealand where the reported new cases were 0 (this was repeated the follow day, May 5th)
9 May (International) Globally, the number of cases passes 4 million, with a death toll of 282,000. New Zealand’s death toll is at 21.
11 May The Prime Minister announces that a staggered move into Alert Level 2 will occur from 14 May
14 May New Zealand enters Alert Level 2 with no new cases (the same as on May 12 & 13) and deaths remaining at 21. $50 billion recovery package is announced as part of Budget 2020.
15 May (International) more than 4.75 million cases worldwide, more than 316,000 deaths, and more than 1.75 million have recovered.
