Ship with close contacts of the new Covid-19 case anchored in Hawke Bay

A ship carrying workers who have been in close contact with a new Covid-19 case in the New Zealand community will be greeted by health officials at Napier.

The ship was anchored off the coast of Napier Sunday afternoon, apparently awaiting instructions from authorities.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield told a news conference Sunday that an Auckland dock worker, who went to work in New Plymouth this week, had tested positive for Covid-19 on October 16.

He said the people on the ship he was working on in New Plymouth are being treated as close contacts and that the ship was headed for Napier port.

“The public health unit at Napier and other port authorities will work carefully and closely to implement plans to isolate and test the crew there … no one on board has symptoms at this time,” Bloomfield said.

He said the case had been caught early and the risk of further transmission had been quickly contained.

A spokeswoman for Hawke’s Bay DHB said the DHB was working closely with the Health Ministry and that the ship remained at sea Sunday afternoon.

A spokesman for the port of Napier said the port was notified on Sunday morning that the ship was heading to Napier.

“The ship is at anchor, it does not enter Napier harbor.

“We will make it easier for the public health unit to incorporate medical personnel if necessary, and we will follow any border directives we receive from the Ministry of Health.”