Morning Report

The head of a leading hospital in Wuhan the epicentre of the Covid-19 virus, has died of the disease, according to Chinese state television.

He's the second prominent Chinese doctor to have succumbed to the pathogen.

Health officials in China have published the first details of nearly 45,000 cases of Covid-19, in the biggest study since the outbreak began.

They found that more than 80 percent of the cases of the virus have been mild.

The sick and elderly are the most at risk, those over 80 years old had a fatality rate as high as 14.8 percent and medical staff are also at higher risk of infection and death.

Men are more likely to die than women and the overall death rate is 2.3 percent.

More than 150 people will walk out of an Auckland navy base in few hours time after two weeks in quarantine to ensure they are not infected with Covid-19.

They were evacuated out of the disease epicentre in Wuhan earlier this month.

Fifty-nine foreigners, mainly from the Pacific Islands will leave the Whangaparaoa base at 11 o'clock this morning in a bus to the airport.

The 98 New Zealanders will leave a few hours later either by bus or with friends or family.

Chen Liu reports.

It's been a frustrating couple of months for Black Caps pace bowler Trent Boult having been forced to sit out a test match, and T20 and one day series but he's able to look back on the Boxing Day test when he broke his hand with a little humour.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The government is stumping up $2 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to set up temporary water supplies to Kaikohe and Kaitaia.

Northland has been experiencing drought since November, leading to water restrictions across the region.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones speaks to Susie Ferguson.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.

Two young Navy sailors have escaped prison time for dealing in drugs.

The men pleaded guilty before a Court Martial to obtaining and supplying the class-B drug MDMA, which is better known as ecstasy.

Both men have been sentenced to military detention and after that will be dismissed from the Navy.

RNZ reporter, Andrew McRae has been at the Court Martial at the Devonport Naval Base.

Far North locals have criticised the council for being underprepared for the drought the region has been experiencing since November.

The government is contributing $2 million from the provincial growth fund to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia in Northland.

The district's mayor John Carter told our reporter Katie Doyle mistakes were made - but he says the council have been anything but lazy.

The Hurricanes will lose try-scoring winger Ben Lam at the end of the Super Rugby season.