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A person in Wellington who tested a “weak” positive Covid-19 test is not a risk to the public, says the Health Ministry.
The person returned the test weeks after completing the isolation administered in September after his return from the United States.
“The ministry’s public health experts evaluated this person’s test results and concluded that the infection is historical and that no further steps are required to limit the risk to the community,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Our assessment is that because the person is not infectious, no further handling of close or casual contacts is required.”
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MARTIN DE RUYTER
Wellington has confirmed a new “weak positive” case of Covid-19.
An acute respiratory illness other than Covid-19 can create a situation where Covid-19 virus particles are detected when a sample is taken.
International research shows that people with a historical Covid-19 infection are not infectious, the ministry said.
Earlier on Friday, the Health Ministry said the person returned from the United States in September and completed his 14 days of isolation on September 21.
They then fell ill after completing mandatory 14-day isolation while in Wellington this week and sought medical attention. Details about the disease are unknown.
The person tested a “weak” positive on Thursday, meaning the infection was likely historical and has since been transferred to a quarantine facility in Wellington.
The Ministry of Health is conducting further testing, but testing to date suggests that a historical infection is highly likely.
“We are taking precautionary measures as we always do in these cases and the person has been transferred to an MIQ facility in Wellington.”
“As we have seen with other cases, people can give weak positive results if they have been infected at the beginning of the year. This case follows a typical pattern of what we have seen in other historical cases ”.
Historic cases are considered low risk to the community. However, Stuff understand that contact tracing is in place as a precaution.
Health CEO Ashley Bloomfield has already warned that more of these historical cases would appear periodically.
Viral remnants of Covid-19 can be collected with swabs when inflammation from an unrelated surface can bring up particles that were not previously detected.
