Claims of a spike in suicides in Queenstown are “grossly inflated” and “irresponsible”, a health spokesman says.

The Southern District Health Board’s (DHB) John MacDonald said he was shocked to hear ACT party leader David Seymour said in Parliament on Tuesday there had been seven suicides in the town within two weeks.

A week earlier, Newstalk ZB host Kate Hawkseby claimed in an opinion column there had been a suicide spike in the resort.

MacDonald – the independent chairman of the DHB’s Mental Health Network Leadership Group – said the claims were “grossly inflated”.

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While the tourist hotspot is facing a welfare crisis with thousands of people facing hardship from the coronavirus downturn, “there’s never been anything remotely like that,” MacDonald said of the suicide claims.

The office of Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall has declined to reveal the actual number of suicides in the region.

The latest annual provisional suicide statistics for New Zealand would be released in the coming weeks, and she would not comment before then, a spokesman said.

In May, the coroner took the unusual step of denying reports that New Zealand’s suicide rate increased during Covid-19 lockdown.

The rumours, which were spread on social media by someone claiming to be in contact with a police officer, were “incorrect” and “concerning”, she said.

The most recent figures from the coroner’s office show there were 57 suicides in the Southern DHB area – which includes Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill – in the year ended June 2019.

MacDonald said the number of suicides this year was not significantly out of line with previous years, and it was concerning to see incorrect figures being used for political gain.

“At times like this we need to be helpful, not creating problems.”

Seymour told Parliament New Zealand’s coronavirus restrictions had driven some small business owners to the brink of bankruptcy or beyond, which had an immeasurable effect on their mental health.

“I was in Queenstown talking to people in that community a few weeks ago. They said they had had been seven suicides in a fortnight – an outrage.”

He told Stuff on Wednesday he defended sharing those figures.

He said he was in Queenstown from July 29 to 30 and numerous people told him they had attended funerals of people who had committed suicide, and that there had been seven suicides within two weeks.

“Multiple people independently raised the figure with me. Nobody to date has questioned it.”

He would be “highly regretful” if the information was incorrect, he said.

Seymour’s words echoed an opinion column published on Newstalk ZB a week earlier, where Hawkesby argued Covid-19 was hiding Government failures, including plans to reduce the number of suicides in the country.

“I hear there were seven families impacted by suicide in the Queenstown area in the past two weeks,” she wrote.

Hawkesby has not responded to a request for comment.

Queenstown police said they did not attend any deaths in the two weeks prior to the article’s publication.

MacDonald said the high profile comments were “highly unhelpful”.

“It’s normal for people to be stressed at times of change and uncertainty such as we have now.”

MacDonald said there had been an increase in the number of people accessing help since lockdown.

“We need to look out for each other and support each other,” he said.

The comments came as misinformation circulated across New Zealand after a case of community transmission of Covid-19 was discovered in Auckland last week.

On Sunday, Health Minister Chris Hipkins urged New Zealanders to stop spreading unverified rumours as one “totally and utterly wrong” rumour about the family at the centre of the cluster “spread like wildfire” across social media.

Suicide Prevention Office director Carla na Nagara​ said she was aware of the rumours about suicide number in Queenstown, but they were only speculation.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

Lifeline – 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland

Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat

Samaritans – 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

What’s up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5 to 18-year-olds). Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, midday–11pm and weekends, 3pm–11pm. Online chat is available 7pm–10pm daily.

Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7.

Anxiety New Zealand – 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)

Rural Support Trust – 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP)

Supporting Families in Mental Illness – 0800 732 825