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 .

Measles continues to spread in Canterbury

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Thursday 21 March 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THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

Measles continues to spread in Canterbury with GPs on high alert for people presenting with measles-like symptoms.

The number of measles cases in Canterbury has risen to 34, with a further five cases under investigation.

Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Ramon Pink says measles continues to spread in Canterbury.

“We’ve had another four confirmed cases this week and we’re concerned that numbers are tracking upwards,” says Dr Pink.

Dr Pink says Canterbury’s young people are being hit hardest by measles.

“Twenty-two of our 34 cases have occurred in people aged 28 and younger. This group is particularly susceptible to measles, and we need to increase vaccination uptake amongst this group if we’re to stop the spread of measles.”

GP teams are focusing on those who need the vaccine most – people aged between 12 months and 28 years who have never been immunised.

Dr Pink says the measles virus is incredibly infectious.

“In most cases we’ve been able to identify the confirmed case who has spread measles to contacts in the same household, school or workplace. But for some cases we haven’t been able to identify any links, indicating that measles is spreading in the community.

“We’re asking people who are unwell with measles-like symptoms, or who have never been vaccinated, to stay away from large gatherings. There is enough for our community to be dealing with right now without adding more illness.”

The symptoms of measles are a cough or runny nose or conjunctivitis, and a fever above 38.5 C, and a rash. 
  
If you think you may have been exposed to measles or have symptoms, please call your general practice first, 24/7. Calls made to general practices after hours will be answered by a nurse who will advise you what to do and where to go if you need to be seen.
  
More information about measles is available at https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/measles and http://www.immune.org.nz.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 30 July 2020

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