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Watch: Paula Bennett criticises the Health Minister for revealing New Zealand's third coronavirus case on TV with no details.
Paula Bennett has criticised the Health Minister for revealing New Zealand's third coronavirus case live on The AM Show without providing further details for hours.
Bennett, the National Party's deputy leader, asked the Government in Parliament why it took "almost six hours" for the Ministry of Health to provide details about the case, after Health Minister David Clark broke the news.
Dr Clark confirmed New Zealand had a third case of coronavirus, or COVID-19, early on Thursday morning, telling The AM Show: "I don't have other specific details to hand at this stage... There will be a media update later today."
It wasn't until 1pm when the Ministry of Health released a statement confirming an Auckland man in his 40s was the third case. It was revealed he had recently visited Iran, where the Government has imposed a temporary travel ban.
"Why did it take almost six hours after the Minister of Health to confirm a third case of COVID-19 on live television this morning, for the director-general of health to provide any further details for the public?" Bennett asked.
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Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters defended Dr Clark, telling Bennett the Government is leaving those questions to medical experts and "not making jaundice political decisions about it".
The New Zealand First leader said the Government is "acting in a responsible and timely manner and at the behest of the medical experts."
Peters slammed the National Party deputy leader's "attempt to sensationalise what is a problem we as a country must all face together".
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How is the Government responding to COVID-19?
As the economic impact of coronavirus deepens across the globe, Finance Minister Grant Robertson revealed on Thursday he is focused on providing targeted financial solutions over blanket subsidies.
Robertson, who had just finished a meeting with the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council, said it was "clear that what we need here is specific targeted solutions for particular industries and particular regions, at this time".
It comes after the Finance Minister told The AM Show earlier in the week that he was "keeping all options on the table", including tax cuts and even cash-in-hand for all, if the economic impact of coronavirus worsened.
He told Magic Talk: "I haven't taken anything off the table, but we've got to do measures that are going to work in the immediate term, and then look to the long term impacts, and you'll hear more about that in the lead-up to the Budget.
"The virus has spread to countries other than China, and that's having an impact on people's health and daily lives... But it's also having an impact on aspects of the economy - who we export our goods to and where we get our goods from.
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"We recognise that we've already got short-term measures underway to support individuals and businesses through the Ministry of Social Development, IRD and so on."
The Government has already announced an $11 million fund for tourism and the Ministry of Social Development is offering assistance to workers in affected industries.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Government had "agreed in principle" to remove the stand-down period for beneficiaries seeking support from Work and Income amid the coronavirus outbreak.
She also said there are ongoing discussions about bringing roading projects forward in Gisborne and using the forestry workforce on those projects with a "bit of extra training and support" to keep people working.
Mercury chief executive Fraser Whineray, chair of the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council, said it's good the Government has been talking to banks about short term and long term scenarios because it's still "very early days".
The Opposition isn't satisfied, with National MP and finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith calling for an "immediate small-to-medium-sized business support package".
He said businesses need "clear and urgent action from the Government to help them through this period of uncertainty, not just tinkering around the edges and ad-hoc announcements that lack detail".
So far, coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 3200 people across the globe, with more than 95,000 cases confirmed worldwide.
For COVID-19 health advice and information, contact the Healthline team (for free) on 0800 358 5453 or +64 9 358 5453 for international SIMS.
In Pictures: Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak around the world
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An outbreak of a new SARS-like coronavirus (COVID-19), which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed 3,048 lives and infected more than 88,400 people around the world. With 2,912 deaths, China is the worst affected, with fatalities reported in other countries such as the U.S., Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Taiwan, Iran, Italy and South Korea, which also has the highest cases of confirmed infections outside China. The other nations with confirmed cases are Andorra, Indonesia, Armenia, Mexico, Nigeria, New Zealand, Algeria, Switzerland, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Finland, Germany, India, Malaysia, Brazil, Greece, Norway, Pakistan, Nepal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, U.K. and Vietnam.
(Pictured) People wearing protective masks are seen at the Shinagawa station in Tokyo, Japan, on March 2.
Women wearing face masks walk on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 2.
A paramedic wearing a protective suit sanitizes the hands of people in Ashkelon, Israel, on March 2.
Personnel from the health ministry check tourists' temperatures and for any symptoms at the Rumichaca border bridge in Tulcán, Ecuador, on March 1.
Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock arrives at Downing Street in London, England, on March 2, ahead of an emergency COBRA meeting on UK's COVID-19 situation.
A South Korean soldier wearing protective gear sanitizes a street in front of the city hall in Daegu, South Korea, on March 2.
A group of carnival revelers walk through the old town of Basel, Switzerland, on March 2.
Students of Hanoi National University of Education attend the first day of classes after returning to the university, which was closed for over a month due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 2.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on the coronavirus outbreak as (L-R) U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams look on, at the White House in Washington D.C., U.S., on Feb. 29.
Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health – Seattle & King County, speaks about the first death from COVID-19 novel coronavirus in the U.S. during a news conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S., on Feb. 29.
Pedestrians wearing face masks cross a square in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 29.
A police officer wears a protective face mask on the street in Mexico City, Mexico, on Feb. 29.
A Paris Saint-Germain F.C. fan wears a face mask inside the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, on Feb. 29, during a match against Dijon FCO.
A member of the Iraqi security forces wears a protective face mask in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 29.
Officials in face masks stand at the starting point of the Tokyo Marathon in Japan on March 1.
A man and his wife shop at a supermarket in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 29.
Workers sew protective suits, meant to be used during the COVID-19 outbreak, at the Zhejiang Ugly Duck Industry garment factory in Wenzhou, China, on Feb. 28.
A researcher works in a lab that is developing testing for the COVID-19 at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation in Nutley, New Jersey, U.S., on Feb 28. The facility develops novel therapies for some of the worlds most difficult diseases.
The U.S. states of Oregon and California reported their first and second cases of coronavirus on Feb. 29, respectively.
A health worker takes part in a drill to handle suspected carriers of coronavirus, at a hotel in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Feb. 26.
A worker disinfects a public bus against coronavirus in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 26.
Health workers prepare for the arrival of evacuated Malaysians from Wuhan at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, on Feb. 26.
A Filipino Catholic wearing a protective mask receives ash on top of her head as the church observes a "contactless" Ash Wednesday amid coronavirus scare, at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Feb. 26.
Personnel wearing protective gear spray anti-septic solution at a traditional market in Seoul on Feb. 26.
Spanish police officers patrol outside the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife, Canary Island, Spain, on Feb. 25.
Bruce Aylward, international team lead for the WHO-China joint mission on COVID-19 attends a news conference after his trip to China at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 25.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in talks during a special government meeting to discuss measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, at the Daegu City Hall in Daegu, South Korea, on Feb. 25.
A demonstrator wears protective face mask during ongoing anti-government protests in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 25.
Fans wear masks at Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Italy, on Feb. 25, prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona.
A man wears a face mask as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 outside a closed karaoke lounge in Beijing, China, on Feb. 25.
The secretary of Public Health of the Government of Catalonia, Joan Guix (L), and the manager of integral health processes of the Catalan Health Service, Assumpta Ricardo (R), are seen giving a press conference about the first coronavirus case detected in Catalonia, in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 25.
Fans wearing masks pose for photos before the start of a concert by Japanese girl group Perfume outside Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 25.
A newly wed couple wear protective masks as they take photos with family in Hong Kong on Feb. 24.
A woman wearing face mask passes by posters about precautions against coronavirus at a bus station in Seoul on Feb. 25.
Two men ride a bike as they wear protective masks in Najaf, Iraq, on Feb. 24.
Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization (WHO) attends a news conference on the WHO-China Joint Mission on coronavirus in Beijing, on Feb. 24.
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres speaks during an update on the situation at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, on Feb. 24.
People wear masks as they take selfie at a shopping district in Seoul on Feb. 24.
Security personnel wear face masks as they stand outside Duomo di Milano in Italy on Feb. 24.
A street vendor sells face masks outside a railway station in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 24.
Commuters wear masks on the metro in Beijing, on Feb. 24.
Figures depicting coronavirus and "carnevals-virus" are seen at the Shrove Monday celebrations in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Feb. 24.
People wearing protective masks are seen at the Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo, on Feb. 24.
A reveler wears protective face mask at the Venice Carnival, the last days of which were called off after third death was reported in the country, in Italy on Feb. 23.
A woman is taken into an ambulance amid a coronavirus outbreak in Casalpusterlengo, on Feb. 22.
Passengers wearing protective masks walk at the arrival hall of Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel on Feb. 22. Israel refused to allow about 200 non-Israelis to disembark from a plane, which arrived from South Korea, as part of measures against the new virus, the health ministry said.
Lebanon's Minister of Health Hamad Hasan and Iman Shantiki, World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Lebanon, attend a news conference after the country's first case of the novel coronavirus was confirmed, in Beirut, Lebanon, on Feb. 21.
Disinfection workers wearing protective gears spray anti-septic solution at the subway station in Seoul, on Feb. 21.
Media personnel chase after a passenger (C) who disembarked from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, on Feb. 19.
A tourist, wearing a protective face mask amid COVID-19 fears, takes photographs at Marina Bay in Singapore on Feb. 18. The country has more than 80 infected cases so far and has unveiled $4.6 billion in financial packages to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has battered the city-state’s economy and sparked fears of a recession.
Waiters wearing protective face masks wait for customers outside a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, on Feb. 17.
Indians who were airlifted from Wuhan wait to collect their release certificates before leaving the ITBP quarantine facility in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 17.
Military medics stand in a formation after deplaning from a transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 17.
People stand near the Westerdam cruise ship in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Feb. 18. The liner was docked five days ago after being refused entry at other Asian ports due to fears of the novel coronavirus.
People wear face masks and plastic raincoats as protection at the Shanghai railway station in China, on Feb. 17.
Doctor Hangzhou Lu, co-director of Shanghai Public Clinical Center Shanghai, shows a quarantine room for coronavirus patients at the finished but still unused building A2, in Shanghai on Feb. 17.
A teacher gives a lecture with the help of her smart phone during an online class at a middle school in Donghai, China, on Feb. 17.
French Health and Solidarity Minister Olivier Véran addresses the media at Bichat hospital in Paris, on Feb. 17, on the COVID-19 outbreak.
A volunteer cuts a man's hair in Chongqing, China, on Feb. 16. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, most barbershops have been closed. A community in the Beibei district of Chongqing organized a team of volunteer barbers to provide free haircuts for its residents.
Staff of a catering company prepare meals for frontline medical workers in Shijiazhuang, China, on Feb. 16.
Pictures of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, China, are displayed by their family members during a demonstration in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 16. The family members are demanding the evacuation of their relatives.
Jewish worshipers take part in a prayer for those affected by the coronavirus, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, on Feb. 16. The placard in Hebrew and Chinese reads "The Jewish people pray for China."
A U.S. passenger gives a thumbs up to reporters while arriving at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 17, after disembarking in Yokohama from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Nepalese nationals who were in Wuhan walk out from a Nepal Airlines plane at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, on Feb. 16. The chartered plane brought back 175 nationals from Hubei province.
A classroom is cleaned in preparation for students' return to school in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 15.
The big screen displays a message of support in relation to the ongoing fight against coronavirus during a Premier League football match between Southampton and Burnley FC in Southampton, England, on Feb. 15.
Two buses leave the port where the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship is docked in Yokohama, on Feb. 15.
A woman is seen wearing a protective mask as she holds a rose on Valentine's Day, while waiting for the subway at a station during rush hour in Beijing, on Feb. 14.
An employee receives payment from a customer through a container on a stick, in Beijing on Feb. 12. A ramp has also been set up to deliver food from the counter.
Visitors wear protective masks as they walk through a nearly empty shopping mall in Beijing on Feb. 12.
Members of Japan Self-Defense Force attach a military vehicle to a gate of the Diamond Princess on Feb. 12.
A laboratory technician helps a colleague remove the protective suit after leaving a laboratory in Shenyang, China, on Feb. 12.
A woman fixes her mask as she waits for tourists at her shop at Chang Siam Park in Pattaya, Thailand, on Feb. 12.
Members of the media stand near the cruise ship Diamond Princess, where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus, at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on Feb. 11.
A Malaysian Royal Guard wears a protective mask as he stands guard outside National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 10.
A worker wearing a protective suit carries a fogging machine as others prepare to disinfect a business establishment in Shanghai on Feb. 9.
A passenger wearing a mask walks outside the Shanghai railway station in China on Feb. 8.
Workers produce protective clothing at a factory in Wuxi, China, on Feb. 8. The factory, which previously produced suits and sportswear, switched to production of protective clothing as demand increased due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Family members of passengers from the cruise ship World Dream docked at Kai Tak cruise terminal, wave on shore in Hong Kong on Feb. 8. The cruise ship with approximately 1,800 passengers remained quarantined in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor on Feb. 8. Several passengers from mainland China on a previous World Dream cruise were found to have the new coronavirus on returning home.
A Hindu devotee wears a mask as she carries a milk pot on her head at a shrine in Batu Caves during the Thaipusam festival in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 8.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to the media during a press conference on the coronavirus situation in Hong Kong on Feb. 8. Lam said that the government has bought 48 million masks and received 17 million more from China to counter the shortage of masks in Hong Kong.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has his temperature checked during a visit to a clinic in Gyeonggi, South Korea, on Feb. 8.
People look on from the quarantined cruise liner Diamond Princess, in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Feb. 7. About 64 passengers from the ship have tested positive for the virus. Another ship, the World Dream, has been docked and quarantined at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong. It has 3,600 passengers and crew on board.
Flight attendants wearing protective clothing and masks serve snacks to Canadians, who had been evacuated from China due to the outbreak of novel Coronavirus on an American charter plane, on another aircraft taking them to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton from the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, Canada, on Feb. 7.
Workers in protective gear are seen on Japan Coast Guard boats in Yokohama, on Feb. 5, bringing patients from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Beds are set up at an exhibition center, which was converted into a hospital, in Wuhan on Feb. 4.
This handout photo released by Malaysia's Ministry of Health shows citizens being directed onto a bus by health officials as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in Feb. 4.
People wear face masks as they go about their daily lives in Singapore on Feb. 4.
Medical workers hold a strike outside the office of Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, as they demand the closure of borders with China, on Feb. 4.
Members of the Association for Sri Lanka and China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC) hold candles during a vigil to pray for people who are suffering from coronavirus across the world, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 1.
German Minister for Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (R) and German Minister for Health Jens Spahn give a joint statement in Bonn, Germany, on Feb. 1, on the evacuation of more than 100 German citizens from Wuhan following the coronavirus outbreak.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, and Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, at the opening of the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee for Pneumonia due to the Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV in Geneva on Jan. 30.
Medical staff with protective clothing are seen inside a ward specialized in treating people who may have been infected with the virus, at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General hospital in Chennai, India, on Jan. 29.
Images captured by a thermographic imaging device to check the temperatures of arriving passengers at a quarantine station are seen on a monitor at the Oscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, on Jan. 26.
A banner placed by Indian health workers is seen during a coronavirus information camp for travelers at an India-Nepal border crossing, near Siliguri, India, on Jan. 26.
(L-R) Sabine Hagenauer of the infection department at the 4th medical department of Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital, Michael Binder, medical director of the Vienna Hospital Association, and Judith Aberle of the department of virology, Medical University Vienna, address a press conference at Kaiser-Franz-Josef hospital in Vienna, Austria, on Jan. 26. A Chinese flight attendant was quarantined in the hospital with symptoms of flu, in what authorities suspected as the first coronavirus case in the country.
Sanitation workers spray a disinfectant at Suseo Station in Seoul, on Jan. 24.
A passenger holds up an Australian Government document pertaining to the coronavirus as passengers arrive at Sydney International Airport in Australia on Jan. 23.
Passengers arriving from China are screened at Kolkata International Airport, India, on Jan. 22. Screening centers have been set up in the Indian cities of Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin apart from three airports at Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to screen for the coronavirus.
Dozens of diggers work to build a new hospital in Wuhan, on Jan. 25. Due to the large number of infected people, the government decided to establish a temporary 1,000-bed hospital.