The new locations of interest are the latest in a string of southern businesses and locations added since two Covid-19 cases were confirmed in Queenstown and one in Dunedin yesterday.
At 5pm the Ministry of Health added Flight NZ614 from Queenstown to Auckland on Sunday, February 6 from 9:19am-11:03am as a close contact location of interest. Also added as a close contact location was Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar from 10pm on Friday, February 4 to 1am on Saturday February 5, for patrons in booths by the entrance and the toilets. For all other patrons at the same time the venue is considered non close contact.
At 4pm the Ministry of Health added the Queenstown Airport Terminal on Tuesday, February 8 between 7:08am and 10:30am; and Vudu Cafe & Larder on Sunday, February 6 between 12:34pm- 1:04pm as non close contact potential exposure events.
At 3pm the ministry added the Air New Zealand Lounge at Queenstown Airport on Tuesday, February 8 between 7:14am-9:45am; and Vudu Cafe & Larder in Queenstown on Monday, February 7 between 3:08pm and 3:30pm as non close contact potential exposure events.
Just after 3pm, the Queenstown Lakes District Council said it had been informed by the Southern District Health Board that the Queenstown Events Centre had also been identified as a location of interest. The centre had not yet been added to the Ministry of Health list.
The council said first learned of this possibility yesterday afternoon after the ministry notified a person who tested positive and subsequently performed contact tracing on their recent movements.
It is therefore linked to the first positive Covid-19 case in Queenstown announced yesterday which was included in today’s official statistics.
The person visited QEC’s Alpine Health and Fitness gym on Tuesday, February 8 between 6.30pm-11pm. Anyone who was in the gym between these times is considered a close contact, while anyone who visited other facilities at QEC, such as the aquatic facilities and indoor courts, is considered a casual contact.
At 2pm, the Ministry of Health added the Cromwell Family Practice in McNulty Rd on Saturday, February 5 between 12.15pm and 1.15 pm; and Super Liquor Queenstown in Stanley St on Saturday, February 5 between 1pm and 1.15pm as non close contact potential exposure events.
At 1pm, Queenstown Airport Frankton on Sunday, February 6, between 7.13pm and 8.30pm was added as a non close contact potential exposure event.
At 12pm, the Ministry added new locations across the South, included businesses which have had multiple potential exposure events.
It added a third potential exposure event for Ballarat Bar, Queenstown, which was for between 7.55pm and 11pm on Thursday, February 3 and listed as a close contact event.
A non close contact event was added for Scroggin Coffee and Eatery, Wanaka, for between 10.40am and 11.10am on Sunday, February 6.
It also added three potential exposure events on Saturday, February 5 - Liquor King Queenstown, between 1pm and 1.15pm, Cardrona Hotel, Wanaka, between 5.18pm and 5.50 pm and Armando's Kitchen Italian Café and Restaurant, Cromwell, between 12.24pm and 1pm.
A second potential exposure event - also non close contact - for Armando's was also listed for between 1pm and 1.45pm.
At 11am, the Ministry added The Ballarat Queenstown, between 7pm and 8.30pm on Saturday, February 5 and Flight NZ628 from Queenstown to Auckland between 8.30pm and 10.10pm the following day as close contact locations of interest.
The Ballarat was already listed as a location of interest for a different potential exposure event between 10pm and midnight on Saturday, February 5.
The Bunker Queenstown, between 1.30am and 2.30am on Sunday, February 6.
It was initially added as a non close contact location of interest, but advice was updated at 1pm and people who were at the bar during the potential exposure event were now asked to self-isolate and get tested immediately.
NZONE Skydiving Queenstown was added as a close contact location of interest earlier this morning.
People at the skydiving business between 12.30pm and 1.45pm were asked to self-isolate and get tested immediately. The Otago Daily Times understands some staff at the business have been stood down pending negative results.
No Dunedin locations
No Dunedin locations of interest have been added following confirmation of a case in the city yesterday evening, but the Dental School has cancelled appointments as a precaution.
A University of Otago spokeswoman said the Dental School was cancelling all elective appointments today as a precautionary measure in relation to Covid-19 protocols. It was still providing urgent care.
The university had not been informed that it was a location of interest in relation to the confirmed Covid-19 case in Dunedin.
My Thai Lounge, which was one of the first businesses named as a close contact location has closed temporarily.
Owner Melenie Chui said the decision to close temporarily was ‘‘disappointing’’ and mainly due to staff shortages as two waitstaff were required to isolate.
‘‘We’ve been advised by the Southern DHB that the only people that [need] isolating are our waitstaff due to the fact that we have good ventilation and we have all these other standard practices.
‘‘We kind of have to close... due to staff shortages we can’t cover the staff who are self isolating... if we had other staff that could cover we would stay open,’’ Ms Chui said.
Ms Chui said the restaurant would undertake a deep clean alongside existing sanitisation practices and hopes to open again on Tuesday.
Skyline Gondola Queenstown was also listed as a location of interest on February 5, between 3.30pm and 5.45pm.
Skyline chief executive Geoff MacDonald said the Covid-19 case was a casual contact visiting the site and the business was waiting on further advice from the health board.
Mr MacDonald said staff were continuing to work and monitor their health.
Testing remains high
Queenstown testing numbers have remained high over the past two days compared to last week.
Today, 229 tests were undertaken across all testing sites in Queenstown and yesterday's testing numbers came to 197.
For comparison, only 39 tests were undertaken in Queenstown last Friday (Feb 4).
WellSouth chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said there was lots of capacity for testing.
"Please ... if you feel unwell – with even mild symptoms - please get tested,” he said.
Locations of interest
• Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar Queenstown, Friday, February 4, 10pm-1am Saturday, February 5; close contact for patrons in booths by the entrance and the toilets/ non close contact for other patrons
• Flight NZ614 Queenstown to Auckland, Sunday, February 6, 9:19am-11:03am; close contact
• Queenstown Airport Terminal, Tuesday, February 8, 7:08am and 10:30am; non close contact
• Vudu Cafe & Larder, Sunday, February 6, 12:34pm- 1:04pm; non close contact
• Air NZ Lounge, Tuesday, February 8, 7:14am- 9:45am; non close contact
• Vudu Cafe & Larder, Monday, February 7, 3:08pm-3:30pm; non close contact
• Cromwell Family Practice, McNulty Rd. Saturday, February 5, 12.15pm-1.15 pm; non close contact
• Super Liquor Queenstown. Saturday, February 5, 1pm-1.15pm; non close contact
• Queenstown Airport, Frankton. Sunday, February 6, 7.13pm -8.30pm
• Liquor King Queenstown, Saturday, February 5, 1pm-1.15pm; non close contact
• Scroggin Coffee and Eatery, Wanaka, Sunday, February 6, 10.40am-11.10am; non close contact
• Cardrona Hotel, Wanaka, Saturday, February 5, 12.24pm-1pm; non close contact
• The Ballarat Queenstown. Thursday, February 3, 7.55pm-11pm; close contact
• Armando's Kitchen Italian Café, Saturday, February 5, 5.18pm-5.50pm; non close contact
• Armando's Kitchen Italian Café, Tuesday, February 8, 1pm-1.45pm; non close contact
• The Ballarat Queenstown. Saturday, February 5, 7pm-8.30pm; close contact
• The Bunker Queenstown. Sunday, February 6, 1.30am-2.30am; close contact
• Flight NZ628 Queenstown to Auckland. Sunday, February 6, 8.30pm-10.10pm; close contact
• NZONE Skydiving Queenstown. Saturday, February 5. 12.30pm-1.45pm
• Jervois Steakhouse Queenstown. Thursday, February 3, 8pm-9pm
• Close contact My Thai Lounge Lounge Queenstown. Friday, February 4, 7.30pm-8.30pm
• Flight NZ614 Queenstown to Auckland.Sunday, February 6, 9,19am - 11.03am; close contact
• Queenstown Airport, Frankton. Sunday, February 6, 8.45am -9.15am
• Skyline Gondola Queenstown. Saturday, February 5, 3.30pm-5.45pm
• Close contact The Sundeck Rooftop Bar, Queenstown. Saturday, February 5, 9pm-10pm
• The Ballarat Queenstown. Saturday, February 5, 10pm -midnight; close contact
• BP 2go Cromwell. Saturday February 5, 12.15pm-12.30pm
• The World Bar & Restaurant Queenstown. Sunday, February 6, midnight-1.30am; close contact
• Habana Boutique Rum Bar,Queenstown. Sunday, February 6, 2.30am-4am; close contact
For more information on what to do if you were at a location of interest at the times listed, visit the Ministry of Health locations of interest page here
- Additional reporting ODT Online
