More Queenstown Covid testing urged by Government

From the Ministry of Health:

There are three new cases of COVID-19 to report in managed isolation in New Zealand today.

It has been 93 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source.

The first case we are reporting today is the child of a previously reported case. They arrived in New Zealand on July 14 from Pakistan, via Dubai.

The second case is a woman in her 30s who arrived in New Zealand on July 28 from Los Angeles. She has been staying at the Rydges in Auckland and tested positive for COVID-19 as part of routine testing around day three of her stay in managed isolation.

The third case is a woman in her 40s who arrived in New Zealand on August 1 from Manila, via Hong Kong.

These three people are all now staying at the Auckland quarantine facility.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is now 1,215, which is the number we report to the World Health Organization.

The total number of active cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand’s managed isolation and quarantine facilities is now 25.

There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19.

Queenstown Testing

Yesterday our laboratories completed 2,401 tests, of which 2,023 swabs were taken in the community, and 378 were taken in managed isolation and quarantine facilities.

This brings the total number of tests completed to date to 470,469.

Yesterday’s total is up on the last two Saturdays – on which 1,754 and 1,365 tests were completed respectively – but we still want to see testing numbers increase, particularly in Auckland and Queenstown.

Surveillance testing has been ongoing over the weekend in Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch, which are locations connected to the case in South Korea.

DHBs in Auckland have reported around 200 people being tested for COVID-19 at new model community testing centres in Northcote, Henderson, Grafton and Wiri. All tested so far have returned negative results. These centres remain open until 3pm this afternoon and continue to have plenty of capacity.

Canterbury DHB has continued to contact and offer testing to all identified contacts and people in Canterbury who were in the Queenstown region at the same time as the person who has since tested positive in South Korea. Testing is available through GPs or from one of three Urgent Care Centres in Christchurch: Riccarton Clinic, 24Hour Surgery or Moorhouse Medical.

Testing at Queenstown Medical Centre has been ongoing over the weekend, with people responding to the call to be tested if they have developed symptoms since 1 July. However, numbers tested have been lower than expected.

Southern DHB will be undertaking further community testing at a pop-up testing centre on Tuesday August 4 from 9am in the Pak n Save carpark. We are especially asking Queenstown locals to come forward, and in particular those who are working in public-facing roles and may have had symptoms during July. People don't need to have experienced symptoms to be tested in the pop-up centre and they won't need to self-isolate while they await the result of the test.

The person who has tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in South Korea was in South Auckland from 20 June – 20 July, Queenstown from 1 - 4 July and in and around Christchurch Airport on 20 and 21 July.

Anyone who was in those areas around those dates can contact Healthline or their GP for advice on being tested – the assessment and testing are both free.

Testing widely is how we can be assured there is no undetected community transmission in New Zealand. If you are offered a swab, please get tested.

Anyone who is unsure about whether they should get tested should contact their GP or Healthline for advice on getting a swab taken.