Covid-19: Auckland CBD workers asked to work from home on Friday due to a mysterious case

Aucklanders working in the CBD are asked to work from home on Friday as the Health Ministry investigates the possible source of a mystery case in the community.

Calls have also been renewed for Auckland residents to make sure to wear masks on public transport and to stay home and get tested if they are unwell.

Speaking at a press conference late Thursday afternoon, Public Health Director Dr Caroline McElnay said “out of a precaution” people working in central Auckland are asked to work from home on Friday, when possible.

“If you must go to this area, wear masks and social distancing while authorities work to trace the source of this outbreak.”

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Earlier Thursday, Director General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced a new community case in Auckland, which has not been immediately linked to the border or a facility of isolation.

Investigations are underway to trace the source of the infection and so far no changes have been made to the alert level system.

The woman became symptomatic on Monday, November 9.

She went to work at the AZ Collection on the High Street in Auckland’s CBD from Sunday, November 8 to Wednesday, November 11.

He was tested late on November 10, which came back positive Thursday morning.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday afternoon, McElnay said there was no indication that the positive case had traveled outside the CBD while it was infectious.

The woman is being transferred to the quarantine facilities of the Jet Park Hotel.

She lives alone and appears to have had limited outings to the community recently, including not having visited a supermarket during the period when she could have been contagious.

Have you been to the following places?

As a “great precautionary step,” health officials were asking people who visited the following locations between Saturday and Thursday to isolate themselves and get advice to get tested immediately, even if they were asymptomatic:

• AZ Collections store on High St
• Vincent Residences at 106 Vincent St
• Red Pig Restaurant on Kitchener St, Saturday from 6 pm to 8:30 pm

The woman also briefly visited the following places; Anyone who was there at the same time is asked to take the test and self-isolate if they have symptoms:

• Smith and Caughey department store on Queen St, Saturdays from 3.50 pm to 6 pm
• Starbucks on Queen St, Sunday 11.30am to 11.45am
• Sunnytown Restaurant on Lorne St, Sunday 11.30-11.45
• The Gateau House at 332 Queen St, Sunday from 6.40 pm to 6.50 pm
• Starbucks on Queen St, Mondays from 11.30am to 11.40am
• Sunnytown Restaurant on Lorne St, Mondays 11.30-11.40

What do I do now?

Alert level 1 means that the virus is contained in New Zealand. It is not controlled abroad and the country is seeing sporadic imported cases.

Alert level 1 allows isolated local transmission.

When another community case emerged in Auckland, linked to The Malt Bar in Greenhithe, Bloomfield said a move to alert level 2 would have been advised if health officials were not clear where the community case came from, or if they had found another community. . cases “popping up” in unexpected places.

University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Nick Wilson says it is too early to say whether Auckland’s alert level needs to be changed.

“It depends on much more information [being known] about the case … once the investigation begins, we hope to know more, “he said. Things.

Meanwhile, experts like Dr. Siouxsie Wiles and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff were urging Aucklandites to use the Covid Tracer app, wear a mask on public transport, get tested, and isolate themselves if they experience symptoms that could be Covid-19.

Goff said that the best way to keep ourselves and our communities safe was to maintain good health practices.

He urged people to wear a mask on public transportation and in other situations where you can’t physically distance yourself.

He also told Auckland residents to keep track of their movements with the Covid Tracer app and to follow good hygiene rules, particularly when it comes to hand washing and cough and sneeze etiquette.

“If you have any symptoms of Covid-19, contact your GP or Healthline immediately and get tested. Follow the official advice on self-isolation, ”he said.

While the region had previously had cases of community transmission, the new case was a reminder of the need for “continuous surveillance.”

“We have successfully beaten Covid-19 in Auckland twice by following these guidelines, so we know they are effective and we know what to do.

“Follow the guidelines and stay safe.”

University of Otago Senior Lecturer Lesley Gray said that from the information available about the community’s case, it seemed a “bit concerning” that there was no obvious link to previous cases.

He urged the government to make the wearing of masks mandatory on public transport, including buses, trains and flights.

Gray also reminded people of the main protections that we have not changed: hand hygiene, physical distancing, use of masks and use of the tracer application.

“We all have to be prepared for the possibility of a community case that may be asymptomatic and therefore will continue with its daily routine, like you and me.”

Two new emerging testing centers are being established in Auckland CBD in response to the news.

These will be located at the Ellen Melville Center, 2 Freyberg Place, which is walk-in only, and the Victoria Park Skate Park, 20 Beaumont Street, which accepts both walk-ins and vehicles by car.

Both centers would be open until 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.