Yonder owner Gary Livesey was told by Public Health South on Tuesday the Danish woman visited the town centre venue last Friday morning.
In a social media post the same day, he said CCTV footage showed the woman did not have close contact with other customers or his staff throughout her one-hour visit from 9.50am.
However, despite being told there was an ‘‘incredibly low’’ risk of transmission and he could continue trading, he decided to close for two days to ‘‘fully deep-clean and sanitise’’ the Church St cafe, restaurant and bar.
Mr Livesey told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he had been ‘‘teary-eyed’’ writing the post.
‘‘I was worried it was the implode button for Yonder.’’
However, the post had since received more than 700 ‘‘likes’’ and dozens of messages in reply.
‘‘I’m emotional looking at all the responses and best wishes from people.’’
Although the post had been hard to write, Mr Livesey wanted to be ‘‘open and honest’’ and quell any rumours or
speculation about other businesses in the resort.
‘‘These are hard enough times for everyone in the hospitality industry — we’re all friends here.’’
He planned to reopen today, and urged residents to ‘‘keep supporting the places you love’’.
The Covid-19 scare had already forced him to postpone the annual Worldstock 2020 music and art festival, scheduled to run at Yonder and neighbouring The World Bar this weekend, because 400 to 500 people were expected.
The Danish woman, who is in her 30s, was the eighth person to test positive for the virus in New Zealand.
She arrived in the resort on March 11 after driving from Christchurch. After feeling unwell, she presented to the Queenstown Medical Centre in Isle St on the same day she visited Yonder.
She spent Saturday at Lakes District Hospital after receiving the result, but has since recovered from the illness.
In a media statement, the Southern District Health Board said the woman stayed at the Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park from March 11 until last Saturday, when her positive result was confirmed.
Public Health South had completed extensive contact tracing to notify anyone considered a close contact of the woman.
Despite the woman sharing bathroom facilities at the holiday park, the risk to others through casual contact was low, the statement said.
Casual contacts are people who may have come into contact with the woman, but for less than 15 minutes and/or at a distance of less than 2m.
