Coronavirus Covid-19: Rarotongan’s family quarantined after rape linked to a traveler from New Zealand

A family in Rarotonga was forced into supervised quarantine after a member violated Covid rules to visit a New Zealand returnee in isolation.

The Cook Islands government says the contact between the family member and the recent arrival from New Zealand was “brief and apparently unintentional,” but now the entire family will be moved to a supervised quarantine facility for the next two weeks. .

“The person with whom he had contact had tested negative for Covid-19 before leaving New Zealand, and this afternoon he had another test in the country that came back negative and does not show any symptoms of Covid-19,” said the Government in an online publication.

“The man who entered the supervised quarantine property also tested negative this afternoon for Covid-19.”

The Cook Islands remains Covid-free, however community leaders have expressed concern that an outbreak could overwhelm their healthcare system.

There are strict quarantine protocols for people who have returned to the Cook Islands from abroad, including a ban on physical contact with people in supervised quarantine or those on properties displaying yellow flags.

Health Secretary Dr Increa Herman said the “unfortunate” breach of quarantine orders was a lesson for everyone to be vigilant.

“The quarantined person was in the right place and obeying the rules, including wearing a mask – there was a yellow flag outside the property indicating that there were people quarantined there,” he said.

“In large part due to the actions of the person who returned on Friday, the risk to public health from this incident is very low. However, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the family involved and members of the public. “.

A community leader in the Cook Islands recently urged the New Zealand government to offer more guidance on what to do in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak.

The head of the Cook Islands Private Sector Task Force, Fletcher Melvin, told RNZ that the Cook Islands felt prepared for an outbreak, but that community leaders wanted to make sure everything was up to scratch.

Dr Joe Williams, a former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a highly respected GP, died of the virus on Friday.

The widely respected medical professional becomes the 24th person in New Zealand to die from Covid-19 and the second in less than 24 hours related to the current Auckland group.

Williams was admitted to Auckland City Hospital on August 13.