VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital. 

Last updated:
31 October 2024

Some visitor restrictions for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and we encourage all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people are advised to not visit our facilities if they are unwell. We advise that you do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are encouraged to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Please practice hand hygiene with provided alcohol-based hand rub/gel

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear a surgical mask as a minimum – please use surgical masks provided.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours.

All visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers can be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where visitor restrictions might apply.

Patients and visitors can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Health warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality at Takamatua Bay and Akaroa Main Beach

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Friday 22 November 2019Media release2 minutes to read

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

A health warning has been issued for Akaroa's main beach

Canterbury District Health Board’s Community and Public Health unit has issued a health warning after high levels of faecal bacteria were found in consecutive samples taken from Takamatua Bay and Akaroa main beach.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey says water quality at Takamatua Bay and Akaroa main beach is not considered suitable for recreational use.

“This includes swimming because of the risk to health from the bacteria and other pathogens,” says Dr Humphrey.

Shellfish must not be collected from these areas. If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash in clean water before cooking.

Water contaminated by human or animal faecal matter may contain a range of disease causing micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa. 

“In most cases the ill-health effects from exposure to contaminated water are minor and short-lived. However, there is the potential for more serious diseases, such as hepatitis A, or salmonella infection,” Dr Humphrey says.

Environment Canterbury will continue to monitor both Takamatua Bay and Akaroa Main Beach and the public will be advised of any changes in water quality that are of public health significance.

The sites where water quality is affected are listed on Environment Canterbury’s website.

For further details visit:

httphttps://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/swimming

Or contact Community and Public Health on (03) 364 1777:

https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/recreational-water/

For more information about Mahinga Kai:

https://www.cph.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/saf0112.pdf

ENDS

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Page last updated: 30 July 2020

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