Ministry confirms Covid travellers had contact with friends

Two Covid-19 infected travellers had five minutes of "limited physical contact" with two friends after getting lost on Auckland's motorway network, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

After being allowed to leave mandatory isolation at their Auckland hotel in a private car, the two British women got lost as they embarked on a 640km road trip to Wellington.

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The women met with two friends, who had provided the car, and the foursome exchanged hugs and kisses, it was alleged today.

"As part of this the pair were in limited physical contact with the two friends for approximately five minutes," a statement from the ministry tonight said.

One of the two who met the women to give directions would later attend a gym class, before she knew that the two women had tested positive.

The two people have been tested for Covid-19 and were in self-isolation.

The New Zealand friends have made contactless deliveries of food or care packages to the women while they have been in self-isolation in recent days, the ministry said.

"These packages were contactless deliveries and the friends who have delivered the packages have taken all appropriate precautions to maintain physical distance. As such there is no risk to the community from these interactions."

The ministry said it was important to remember that the two women were distressed at the time by the sudden death of their family member.

"It is not uncommon for information and details to evolve, including details being missed during case interviews and contact tracing where there is heightened emotion, intense grief and stress."

Video: Parliament TV

In the House this afternoon, National MP Michael Woodhouse claimed that two women, who have tested positive for Covid-19, got lost on their drive from Auckland to Wellington and required help - giving their helpers a "kiss and a cuddle".

Woodhouse initially made the comments in the House, but soon after repeated them to reporters.

He said a source told him the two women were in a borrowed car and got lost on their way from Auckland to Wellington so stopped and asked someone for directions.

The women thanked their helper with a "kiss and a cuddle", Woodhouse claimed in the House.

Health Minister David Clark replied to Woodhouse's claim by saying he would be "deeply concerned" if that were the case as he had been assured the women had no contact with anyone during their journey.

Woodhouse told reporters: "They [the pair] called on some acquaintances for help with directions. When they were there, there was close physical contact, including a cuddle and a kiss.

"I'm calling on [Health] Minister to require the Director-General [of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield] to look deeper into the circumstances of that journey, and reassure himself he's got all the facts."

He said the source was "very reliable" and "closely connected".

NZ First leader Winston Peters said earlier today if the claims were true, it would be "seriously concerning", but if not, Woodhouse was playing "petty politics" and he should apologise.

When asked if heads should roll over the border failures, Peters said: "Of course – the three people who didn't do their job. They need to be found and they need to be held accountable."

He later said when asked which three people he meant: "Everyone needs to be held accountable, particularly on an issue to do with public safely like this."

He said neither David Clark nor Ashley Bloomfield should step down, and it was "plain ridiculous" to call for the head of a minister whenever something goes wrong in their ministry.

Graphic: NZ Herald

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says neither she nor Clark are responsible for the failings at the border that allowed two women with Covid-19 to leave their hotel room without first being tested.

She said ministers understood that the proper protocols were being applied to the women, who are now in isolation, including being tested before being allowed to leave on compassionate grounds.

Instead, Bloomfield has taken the blame, but whether any heads will roll is still unclear.

"As Director-General of Health, I have overall system responsibility for the health operations of our self-isolation facilities and exemptions," he said in a statement today.

"In this instance, these individuals should have been tested prior to leaving the managed isolation facility. I am taking responsibility for ensuring this does not happen again."

He added: "We have always expected that New Zealand would get more cases of Covid-19, especially with more people from overseas coming into the country.

"The risk of spread of Covid-19 from these two cases while they were travelling to New Zealand and in the managed isolation facility they were in is low but not impossible, so we are ensuring all steps are in place to mitigate the risk."

Bloomfield announced that there were no new cases of Covid-19 today, and authorities have traced 320 close contacts of the two women.

Most of their contacts will be contacted by the end of the day and will be encouraged to be tested, he said.