- First published by RNZ
- First community exposure of Omicron confirmed
- Omicron case spent hours at Auckland nightclub
Stuff is reporting the person infected with the highly transmissible variant of Covid-19 as UK electronic artist DJ Dimension - aka Robert Etheridge - who was due to headline Rhythm & Alps near Wanaka before he abruptly pulled out not long before he was due to take the stage.
The recent arrival from the United Kingdom is the first person infected with Omicron that has been active in the community in New Zealand.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson tonight confirmed the infected person did not wait for a negative test result before they left the place they were self-isolating.
A government spokesman said at this point there were no plans to alter Auckland's shift down to Orange in the protection framework setting.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed a press conference will be held at 11am tomorrow.
Earlier, Rhythm and Alps announced that two artists would not be playing at the festival, "owing to the Covid-19 pandemic".
Festival organisers said on their Facebook page that DJs Friction and Dimension were no longer in the line-up.
DJ Friction, who was scheduled to play at the festival tonight, said on social media he had pulled out because he was "in the vicinity of a potential Covid case" and was told to isolate despite returning a negative test.
The DJ performed at a Hidden Lakes music festival in Christchurch on Tuesday.
Dimension was scheduled to perform at the festival on New Year's Eve.
The sold-out Wanaka music festival started today and will be one of New Zealand's biggest destinations for New Year celebrations.
There were also other losses to the line-up as a result of problems caused by the pandemic.
Sampa the Great was not able to leave South Africa as all flights were cancelled, and Harriet Jaxxon, Lenzman, CC:Disco!, and Bradley Zero were not able to get MIQ rooms to enter New Zealand.
Festival director Alex Turnbull said Rhythm and Alps sold out yesterday morning.
Turnbull said people were encouraged to upload their Covid-19 vaccine passes before arriving, and staff would follow procedures closely.
"So you know, it'd be pretty hard to be fraudulent, and if someone doesn't have their conditions of entry sorted, that's the way it's gotta be."
Sister festival Rhythm and Vines and popular festival Northern Bass have been postponed until 2022 because of Covid-19.
- additional reporting NZ Herald
