Covid-19: How coronavirus and lockdown impacted New Zealand s health system stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cases per 100,000
Source: Ministry of Health
The death toll would have been much higher if the early and significant action New Zealand opted for had not been taken.
New Zealand was literally a week away from not being able to contain coronavirus when the decision was made to plunge into a nationwide lockdown, Royal NZ College of General Practitioners medical director Dr Bryan Betty said in June.
At the time, Betty said New Zealand was staring down the barrel of a potential health system meltdown similar to those seen in Italy, Spain, the UK and the US.
With the spectre seen in parts of Europe and Asia looming large, the healthcare system braced for the worst.