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One new Covid community case, three in managed isolation

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
There is one new community case of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, linked to the existing Auckland cases, and three other cases in managed isolation.

The update was provided in a statement from the Ministry of Health this afternoon. The new community case is a household contact of the three other community cases announced on Wednesday.

The case is in the same household as the second family infected through a chain of transmission at Papatoetoe High School in South Auckland.

"This person had previously returned a negative test, taken on Monday, February 15, and has been isolating at home and is in the process of transferring to the Auckland quarantine facility," the ministry said.

"There is one additional member of this household, who has returned a negative test result, but is also being transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility."

Meanwhile,  there are also three new cases in managed isolation. One of the cases is classified as historical and deemed not infectious.

One case arrived on February 13 from India via the United Arab Emirates. The second arrived on February 16 via Singapore. Both are in managed isolation in Auckland.

The third case arrived on February 12 from Indonesia via Singapore. They are in managed isolation in Christchurch.

The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 50. The total number of confirmed cases is 1992.

February Aucklland cluster 

The ministry said other than known cases which have been reported, all close contacts associated with the cases households, school and  a travel group to New Plymouth have returned negative results.

"Contact tracing has identified 128 close contacts associated with all cases in this cluster, aside from the positive cases which have previously been reported. Of these, 112 of the close contacts have returned a negative test result.

"We are awaiting test results for 16 people. Seven of these people are from the medical clinic and relate to Case C, which is considered a low risk exposure event, and nine are workplace contacts of Case E. All of whom are in isolation and have been or are being tested."

It said a total of 31 close contacts and 1476 casual plus contacts had now been identified at Papatoetoe High School.

"The number of casual plus contacts has decreased as these people were not at school at the time of exposure.

"We do remind all students and staff at the school to please stay home and have a test if they haven't already. School is expected to return on Monday 22 February. Close contacts at the school will not return until they have been advised by public health that they can."

LSG Sky Chef staff have also been tested and all nine contacts in the laundry have returned negative results.

The ministry said all possibilities for potential infection sources were being thoroughly investigated, including the school, the workplace and a managed isolation facility.

Previous cases have been reviewed for a similar genome and no direct matches have been found.

"A possible genomic similarity - but no direct match - involved a guest at the Four Points by Sheraton managed isolation facility in Auckland. Guests and their household contacts who were at the facility in late December are being contacted."

There will be nine community testing centres available for testing across Auckland this weekend - Takanini, Wiri, Otara, Botany, Balmoral, New Lynn, Henderson and Northcote, as well as the dedicated testing site at Papatoetoe High School.

The ministry has also received the results from ESR's wastewater testing for February 17 and found no evidence of Covid-19 in wastewater from the seven sites sampled in Auckland and in three other centres - Hamilton, New Plymouth and Wellington.

Today is the first day of Covid-19 vaccinations in New Zealand.

There were no new community cases of Covid-19 yesterday and Cabinet agreed to make face coverings on public transport a requirement nationwde.

 

 

 

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