Morning Report for Thursday 2 April 2020

6:12 AM.The US death toll from coronavirus pandemic has almost doubled in the past three days.

There are 190 thousand confirmed cases in the United States, almost 4,000 people have died.

President Donald… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.Hutt Hospital has created a new intensive care unit in two weeks.

It's one of several hospitals around the country which have been fast-tracking building work to prepare for Covid-19.

Hutt's head of… Read more Audio

6:20 AM.Diplomatic negotiations have resumed on the repatriation of German nationals stranded in New Zealand.

Germany has repatriated 187,000 of their citizens from around the world so far.

Some 10,000… Read more Audio

6:20 AM.A brief update from the business sector. Read more Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Read more Audio

6:49 AM.Emergency medical supplies will begin arriving in New Zealand this weekend as health authorities try to make sure there is enough personal protective equipment for frontline health workers.

The… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.More than 40 million masks are on the way to help protect frontline health workers after weeks of confusion and fear about the supply of Covid-19 equipment.

On top of that, up to 11 planes full of… Read more Audio

7:14 AM.Some hospitals say they're being swamped with people wanting to be tested for Covid-19 since the rules about who can be tested were relaxed this week.

Many wanting the tests were showing no… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.Finance Minister Grant Robertson says the government will not allow New Zealand's media sector to implode as Covid-19 causes advertising revenue to plummet.

NZME has already closed one radio station… Read more Audio

7:28 AM.Hutt Hospital has built a new intensive care unit in less than two weeks because of Covid-19.

It's one of several hospitals that've been racing the clock - and the virus - to get ready to face a… Read more Audio

7:36 AM.A pregnant nurse is angry and upset that the DHB she works for is refusing to give her special leave during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The woman says her midwife has advised her to isolate herself… Read more Audio

7:39 AM.The government is expecting a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases after broadening its testing criteria. 

This means contact tracing capacities will need to be ramped up - and phone apps could… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.The government is promising to provide extra funding to infrastructure projects that are ready to start in the next six months, as a way to boost the economy and create jobs.

New roads, better water… Read more Audio

7:48 AM.Overseas visitors are paying thousands of dollars for flights home or facing limbo in lockdown.

The tourism industry estimates about 100,000 visitors remain in the country.

Tourism reporter Tess… Read more Audio

8:09 AM.The government is warning that unemployment could climb into the double digits as the fallout of Covid-19 continues.

New Zealand's unemployment rate has been in single digits since 1993.

Council of… Read more Audio

8:18 AM.Stocks of influenza-vaccine are being shifted to centres in short supply in a bid to get the most at-risk people vaccinated.

There are roughly 800,000 vaccines in the country, but due to the ordering… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.Covid-19 will continue to have a devastating impact on the country's tourism sector and the government shouldn't waste money trying to keep struggling businesses afloat.

So says economist and former… Read more Audio

8:29 AM.Some plumbers are defying the lockdown and are doing non-essential jobs, at the same time as essential jobs can't be done for lack of personal protection equipment.

The Master Plumbers organisation… Read more Audio

8:29 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Read more Audio

8:43 AM.The Christchurch City Council is considering letting businesses and property owners delay paying their rates for six months.

Under the scheme being considered by council today, businesses that can… Read more Audio

8:47 AM.About 60,000 foreign students made it into New Zealand before the pandemic disrupted international travel and now they are stuck thousands of kilometres from their home countries.

They told RNZ… Read more Audio

8:49 AM.Just because New Zealanders are in lockdown doesn't mean their addictions are too.

Some experts are calling on people to use the time to reassess their use of both legal and illegal substances and… Read more Audio

8:52 AM.As we close in on week one of lockdown, people may be feeling trapped and isolated.

On paper staying at home sounds simple, so why does it feel so hard for so many?

RNZ asked people who have lived… Read more Audio

8:55 AM.Many people are using the lockdown to learn new skills, clean out the garage or paint the fence. One man in Waiheke has set himself a more ambitious goal -- he's aiming to write and record a song… Read more Video, Audio