He is the South’s fourth Covid-19 case, and one of eight new cases in New Zealand announced yesterday.
The other new cases — four in Auckland, two in Waikato and one in Christchurch — take the total number of cases in this country to 20.
One of the eight patients arrived in the country after Monday's travel restrictions were imposed.
The woman, aged in her 40s, arrived from London; the seven others came from Europe, Sydney, the Gold Coast, and North America.
150 tested in Dunedin
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said yesterday 150 people who came into close contact with a Dunedin high school pupil who tested positive for the virus were being tested and instructed to self-isolate.
Logan Park High School, initially closed for 48 hours after a pupil tested positive on Tuesday, will remain closed until after the weekend.
The pupil’s father, who had recently returned to the country from Germany, tested positive on Monday.
A Ministry of Health spokesman declined to comment on a third suspected case in Dunedin, which was a person from the same family as the two confirmed cases.
The ministry only commented on positive test results, which meant either the test had come back negative, or they were still awaiting the result.
The person was experiencing symptoms and was in self-isolation along with their family members.
All close contacts of the positive pair would be required to self-isolate for 14 days even if test results came back negative, because it was possible they were incubating the virus.
Ministry of Education secretary of education Iona Holsted said it was following a plan in Dunedin and there were no immediate plans for widespread closures.
Invercargill man tests positive for virus
The Invercargill man, who is in his 40s and works at Findex Invercargill, had returned from the Gold Coast on March 10.
The Southern District Health Board last night issued a list of places the man had been where there was a low risk others could have contracted Covid-19 by coming into contact with him.
The places, all in Invercargill were: The Batch Cafe, March 16 at 8.30am and March 17 at 9.30am; New World, Windsor, March 12 at 4pm-5pm; the Waihopai Football Club, Surrey Park, March 12, 5pm-6pm; the Southland Athletics Championship, Surrey Park, March 14, 10am-11am and 3pm-4pm.
Last night, The New Zealand Herald reported the man had children who attended both Southland Boys’ and Southland Girls’ high schools.
The pupils were well and without symptoms, and there was minimal risk to other students, staff or others at the schools, the Southern District Health Board said in letters to parents.
Those who believed they might have come into contact with the man were advised to monitor their health and call Healthline on 0800358-5453 if they developed symptoms such as a cough, fever, sore throat or difficulty breathing.
Findex management had asked all its Invercargill office workers to self-quarantine.
A statement from the company said the man was now in self-isolation and had mild symptoms.
He remained in ‘‘good spirits’’.
‘‘Findex is working closely with the relevant authorities and healthcare professionals and is complying with all formal advice.’’
That included immediate self-quarantine and also working to identify other people who may have come into contact with the man during the incubation period.
‘‘At this time, there are no other confirmed cases throughout the Findex network.’’
The Southland Chamber of Commerce office in Invercargill also closed as its chief executive had come into contact with the man.
A social media post said chamber boss Sheree Carey had met the man at the SCC office on the afternoon of March 12.
Staff were working from home, in self-isolation, and all events for the next three weeks would be postponed.
A statement from Rugby Southland said all staff there were also sent home as a precaution due to ‘‘one staff member having been possibly exposed to Covid-19’’.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said he had met Gore Mayor Tracey Hicks, Southland Mayor Gary Tong and four representatives from other organisations including the Southern District Health Board yesterday.
‘‘The main point is we just want to take a consolidated approach so that we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet.’’
He said it had been a challenging time for Southlanders recently with the Southern Institute of Technology merger, the Tiwai smelter review, flooding earlier in the year and now Covid-19.
‘‘Just keep your spirits up and be kind to each other ... We need to look after the ones who are most vulnerable in our community — that’s all we can do.’’
