Covid 19 coronavirus: a new community case of the Valentine’s Day cluster, another two in managed isolation

There are two new Covid-19 cases in managed isolation and a new community case – a person linked to the Auckland cases in February and who has been in quarantine since Tuesday 23 February to report today.

The latest community case is a domestic contact from other confirmed cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The person was tested upon reaching quarantine and tested negative. But they subsequently developed symptoms and tested positive, according to today’s statement from the Health Ministry.

“Since the person was possibly infectious up to 48 hours before developing symptoms, [that person’s] the workplace is treated as a place of interest. “

The quarantined community case worked at KFC Botany Downs between Monday, February 22 at 3.30 pm and 12.30 am on Tuesday, February 23.

There are three categories of contacts related to the KFC exposure event: the Ministry of Health requires all contacts to call Healthline.

“KFC staff: There are 11 closest contacts who worked at the same time. These people will be tested and asked to isolate themselves for 14 days along with their household contacts.”

Members of the public who entered the store between 3.30 p.m. on Monday, February 22 and 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23 are close contacts and must isolate themselves at home for the remainder of the 14-day period (through March 8) and get tested on the 5th (tomorrow) and the 12th, the ministry said.

And people who passed through the KFC tour between 3.30pm on Monday, February 22nd and 12.30am on Tuesday, February 23rd are considered more casual contacts.

Health officials say these people should isolate themselves at home until a negative test result is obtained on day 5.

“For these contacts, day 5 is tomorrow, so they need to be tested tomorrow and remain in isolation until they get the test result.”

“We are asking everyone affected by this latest KFC exposure event to get tested tomorrow, not today, to limit wait times at testing centers. All contacts should call Healthline.”

Meanwhile, health officials say that all but one of the 31 initial close contacts at Papatoetoe High School have reported a negative result for Covid-19.

All remaining students and staff at the school have been designated as Case A Casual Contacts. There have been 1,537 Plus Casual Contacts.

“We continue to work closely with the school to ensure that all staff and students are screened. Where necessary, this includes visits to students’ homes to ensure that people are given the support they need to access the evidence and remain isolated. “

The group, which initially plunged Auckland into a Level 3 lockdown for three days, now has 12 people, all in quarantine under management at the Jet Park hotel.

The officials’ focus had previously been on Botany Kmart, where a member of the group worked while testing positive for Covid-19.

That person contracted the virus from a family member who is a student at Papatoetoe High School.

As they were at work while they had the virus, but had no symptoms, the Health Ministry has labeled 15 staff members as “closest” contacts.

In this category, people are advised to do the same as close contact and to keep members of their household at home in isolation until they test negative on day five.

Officials have identified 32 staff members identified as the closest contacts at Botany Kmart, where one of the positive Covid-19 family members worked, now at Jet Park.

That’s more than double what it was yesterday, when the number was 15.

“This number has increased from what was previously reported after further investigation into their contact with the case. All of these people have been contacted and isolate themselves.”

So far, 24 people in this group have tested negative.

“We have also been contacted by 1,742 people who reported being in the store at times of interest,” the ministry said today. That is more than 1236 people yesterday.

“These people were asked to isolate themselves for 14 days and be tested on day 5 and day 12 after exposure to the case. We currently have 1,073 negative test results for this group.”