Minister Judith Collins hospitalised after 'nasty bout of vertigo'
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Minister Judith Collins was taken to hospital in an ambulance on Tuesday evening due to a "nasty bout of vertigo".
She was in Wellington Hospital where she remained overnight, but was now recovering at her Wellington home, and said she was "on the mend".
Collins posted on social media on Wednesday evening saying she "found out the hard way" that a "virus followed by several flights" can cause vertigo.
Vertigo is a sensation of spinning, whirling, or dizziness. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, difficulty walking, and loss of balance.
Collins described it on social media as "like seasickness multipled."
Over the weekend, Collins visited a range of Defence Force bases using a combination of NZ Defence Force and Commercial flights in her capacity as Defence Minister.
Collins thanked the "wonderful, professional care" from Wellington Free Ambulance and Wellington Hospital, and told RNZ she was very grateful for the "excellent initial care" from her colleague Dr Shane Reti.
Reti has an office on the same floor as Collins.
Collins will eventually travel back to her Auckland home, and suggested people "don't be alarmed" if they see her "with a little support."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Northland's first milk bank for babies
Just over two weeks ago, the He Piropiro Waiu Human Milk Bank opened in Northland. It is the first for the region and will provide valuable donated breast milk for sick babies particularly those born prematurely. Previously these babies would mainly have received infant formula but when their mother's milk isn't available, experts say donated breast milk is the next best thing. Sue Bree is the director of midwifery for Northland. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Why ACC needs to offer more support for head injuries
Awareness of the impacts of concussion has grown significantly in recent years but advocates say many sufferers still struggle to get the right support from ACC following a diagnosis. Brain injury support group Headway has been campaigning for years for changes to the way ACC manages people with Traumatic Brain Injuries CEO Stacey Mowbray joins Jesse. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Thousands giving up Medic Alert bracelets in cost of living crunch
Photo: Supplied The Medic Alert Foundation has started a petition calling for government funding to ensure all those who need a medic alert bracelet, can get one. The bracelets carry an emergency number so first responders can access their medical records if they cannot speak for themselves, due to an allergic reaction, epilepsy or another condition. However, chief executive Murray Lord has told Nine to Noon that up to 9000 New Zealanders were letting lapse their $70-a -ear membership due to cost of living pressures. "Over the last year or two we've had an increased incidence of people saying 'Look, I just can't find the money anymore'. We do everything we possibly can to help them keep their service - but being a charity, you're limited by the capacity of your funding." Research commissioned by the foundation found for every dollar spent on the service, it saved the health system $11. About 22 percent of the population could benefit from a medic alert bracelet, but it was currently only servicing around 2 percent. However, that was already saving the country about $56 million a year in reduced hospital costs, harm and deaths, Lord said. "If more people could access the service without these barriers, then through volume the cost of the service comes down but through technology and other aspects of the service, the value of it comes up. "So it's a bit of a no-brainer really." The enrolment process was another barrier for some people, but the capability was there (as Medic Alert was already a recognised health information service) to make it available to all, perhaps through their existing health record log-in. "There's an opportunity here. The service is already deployed nationally, the software already exists. "That technology is very advanced, it's connectable with other systems and it's life saving. We've got the opportunity to give every New Zealander access to that service, to get their information shared even if they can't talk, and make it accessible nationally and if they travel overseas."
