Covid 19 coronavirus: Air Commodore Darryn Webb denies managed isolation of guests mixed with tenants linked to a positive case

Tenants of a city apartment block where a person tested positive for Covid-19 say residents previously mixed in with people staying at a neighboring managed isolation hotel after a fire alarm this week.

The Health Ministry confirmed today that a resident of the Vincent Residences on Vincent St in Auckland city center had tested positive for Covid.

The apartment block was also located next to the managed isolation facility at the Grand Millenium hotel, where a fire alarm forced guests to spill onto Vincent St Monday night.

Residents Alex Holmes and Taituha Netana-Patrick said they saw people from the Grand Millenium mingling with tenants from Vincent Residences.

Holmes claimed the fence was opened at the Grand Millenium, allowing guests to step out onto the trail with some gathered near the front of Vincent Residences.

“I think the other night when the Millennium Hotel was evacuated the case probably came from there,” Holmes said.

However, Public Health Director Caroline McElnay told a news conference about the positive case that the fire alarm was unlikely to be the source of the woman’s infection.

That was because the woman started showing symptoms before the alarm went off, she said.

“We are aware of media reports of a fire alarm at the managed isolation facility at the Grand Millennium that saw returnees on the street near the housing in today’s case,” McElnay said.

“The fire alarm was at 8 pm on Monday, November 9. This is not likely to be a source of infection for this case.”

Air Commodore Darryn Webb, Director of Managed Isolation and Quarantine, also said he was confident that the integrity of the isolation facility was not compromised during the fire alarm.

He discussed claims that people in controlled isolation had “freely mixed and mingled” with members of the public.

MIQ staff and hotel security had worked in conjunction with police to ensure that all guests evacuated the premises safely and were contained in identified gathering areas outside the hotel, he said.

“The safety of our staff and returnees is our highest priority to ultimately ensure the safety of our community,” Webb said.

“Throughout the situation, NZDF staff, wearing high-visibility vests, assisted hotel security and MIQ staff in cordoning off all guests in assigned meeting areas. Guests were continuously monitored and contained. The staff ensured that the returnees socially distanced themselves, covered their faces and bubbles were maintained. “

All MIQ facilities operated in an alert level 4 environment, Webb said.

“In evacuation situations in which guests must leave the strict infection prevention controls, developed by the Ministry of Health, they are followed to manage the risks of spread of Covid-19. These protocols include the use of PPE and masks and rules of physical distancing “.

Auckland remained at alert level 1, but authorities weren’t sure how the recent positive case caught Covid-19.

The person, a woman between 20 and 29 years old, presented symptoms on the morning of November 9 and was examined on the 10th.

The positive test was confirmed this morning and the woman was transferred to quarantine today.

Health officials are reviewing the woman’s movements to contact the trail and try to determine the source of the infection.

The woman lives alone, has limited outings to the community and is an AUT student and has not been to school since mid-October, so there is no concern about broadcasting on campus.

She works at the AZ Collections store on High St.

Bloomfield said she did not want to pass judgment on the woman who was tested, but then did not stay home and had no information on whether she was recommended to stay home.

There is no review of the alert level settings at this stage, Bloomfield said.

Chief Health Officer Ashley Bloomfield said health officials were “working urgently” to determine where the woman was infected and run genomic tests.

Holmes said he only heard about the positive case at Vincent Residences when it was reported by the media.

“We could potentially be cut off now because of that, which is not fair to us,” he said.

“I’m a bit upset, the rent here is expensive, so we need our work to support ourselves.”

Raquel Ortega, a student at the University of Auckland, moved into Vincent Residences just a week ago.

Her husband had called her and asked her to come home.

She was on her way to get tested and then planned to stay home, she said.

“I’m sure I’ll stay home until the results are negative,” he said.

Connor Chambers said he had just left his apartment for coffee, only to return to see the media cameras and find that there had been a positive case at the complex.

He said there were 15 stores in the complex and potentially 16 apartments on each floor.

There was a shared gym, sauna and pool in the building.

“Fortunately I haven’t used it in the last week,” he said.

He said it was troubling to hear about the case, but he feared more for the elderly residents, saying many were migrants.

He also called his girlfriend, who worked with older colleagues, and advised her that she should probably go home until they found out more about what happened.

He was going to try to contact his building manager, he said.