Dan OhsA rise in stabbing and gunshot wounds in the South has contributed to a ‘‘record’’ demand for ambulances and paramedics. There was a 24% rise in Otago, where the numbers rose from 29 to 36 stabbing or gunshot incidents. ‘‘Demand on our emergency ambulance service has never been higher.’’Nearly half of all ambulance responses involved people aged 65 and over, he said. Falls were now one of the leading reasons for ambulance demand and disproportionately affected older people. Higher-acuity cases continued to dominate ambulance demand — patients with serious, but not immediately life-threatening conditions accounted for 43% of incidents nationally.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 29, 2026 16:02 UTC