Monday, June 21: Two new Covid-19 cases in managed isolation
There are two new Covid-19 cases in managed isolation facilities, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the first case is a female teenager who arrived on in New Zealand on 13 June and was travelling with her family, who have tested negative so far.
The teenager has been staying at the Novotel Auckland Airport.
A New Zealander in isolation at the Auckland Airport Novotel yesterday said they were all in lockdown after being told of a new case at the hotel. However, the prime minister's office, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Health all declined to comment ahead of today's media briefing.
Dr Bloomfield said the teenager's only symptom was a runny nose.
She had travelled from Doha via Melbourne on one of the same flights identified last week.
All health staff at the hotel have been tested and returned a negative test, Bloomfield said.
Another 190 people had been guests at the hotel, 179 have been contacted. There are just 11 people still being followed up with.
The second case is a man in his 30s who arrived from India on 15 June, he has been staying at the Grand Millennium in Auckland and has no symptoms. His wife also has no symptoms but is being followed up with.
This brings the total number of active cases in New Zealand to nine.
Labs completed 3402 tests yesterday. There were 430 tests across managed isolation facilities.
Dr Bloomfield said anyone who left a managed isolation facility since 9 June is being or has been followed up with a test.
Anyone who has been in such a facility and has not been contacted has been asked to contact a dedicated health line: 09 302 0408.
Bloomfield said there were 55 people granted compassionate exemptions, and only one has not been followed up with.
Four of those were children who were not tested, but all others have returned a negative test.
The rules for people who are in managed isolation facilities are being looked at to clarify exactly what they are allowed to do.
"They shouldn't have contact with other people anyway," Dr Bloomfield said.
He said the public health unit does a thorough interview before poeple leave the facilities and review CCTV to ensure there is no risk.
Meanwhile, Auckland's isolation facilities have reached capacity, with 4272 in managed isolation and almost 900 more expected to arrive in the country in the next two days.
As a result, two new managed isolated facilities were opened in Rotorua over the weekend.