Covid 19 coronavirus: eight cases in controlled isolation; Air NZ Employee Tests Positive Again

The Air New Zealand crew member who tested positive for Covid-19 in China once again returned a positive coronavirus swab since landing in the country.

It comes as officials reveal eight new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation. Today there are no new community cases. There are 59 active cases in New Zealand.

The Health Ministry is still investigating the circumstances of the Air NZ crew case. The staff member and his colleagues returned to New Zealand this morning and have been isolated.

“More test samples were quickly processed in our Auckland laboratory, which returned a positive result, which is now considered a confirmed case. Our case numbers will report this case tomorrow,” the ministry said this afternoon.

“Investigation of the source is ongoing and swabs have been sent to ESR in Wellington for genome sequencing, which is being done as quickly as possible.

“This person, seven close contacts and six casual contacts from the flight arrived in New Zealand this morning and were tested on arrival.

“This person and close contacts are under quarantine at our Auckland facility.
So far we also have test results on some of the 11 close contacts, all of which are negative. All close contacts are in self-isolation or managed isolation.

“As a precaution, we have been following public health protocols and have already been investigating this case as if it were a confirmed case in New Zealand.”

Contact tracing is also ongoing in Auckland to find out where the staff member went in the two weeks leading up to the flight to Shanghai. So far three close contacts have been identified and two more are under investigation.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service said the person went to a gas station, two Auckland supermarkets, a paint store, a pharmacy and a pet shop.

Today’s border cases

One person arrived on November 19 from Canada via Hong Kong and tested positive around the third day of his stay in controlled isolation.

One person arrived on November 19 from Finland via Sweden and Qatar and also tested positive around day 3 of their stay in controlled isolation.

Both are now in quarantine at our Auckland facility.

A person arrived on November 19 from the United States and tested positive around the third day of his stay in controlled isolation. This case is under quarantine at our Christchurch facility.

Five people are part of the same family that arrived on November 19 from Mexico through the United States and all tested positive around day 3 of their stay in controlled isolation.

The Air New Zealand case

The person visited BP Connect in Māngere, Resene Mt Roskill, and Countdown and New World in Papatoetoe on Friday, November 20.

They also visited the pharmacy at Countdown Greenlane and Animates Manukau on Saturday, November 21.

This morning the Auckland Regional Public Health Service issued a correction to the schedule for one of two supermarket visits made on Friday, saying the person was in the store two hours later than initially reported.

Yesterday there were two new cases of Covid-19, both in managed isolation.

There were 53 active cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand.

The full list of companies:

Shoppers who visited these locations during these times are considered “low risk” and should be aware of symptoms and, if present, get tested and isolate themselves.

Friday, November 20

• BP Connect Gas Station, 154 Coronation Rd, Māngere, between 9.28 am and 9.35 am.
• Review Mt Roskill between 11:45 and 12:15.
• Papatoetoe countdown between 17:59 and 17:22.
• Nuevo Mundo, Papatoetoe between 7:29 pm and 7:45 pm.

Saturday November 21
• Pharmacy in Countdown Greenlane between 12:34 and 12:42.
• Cheer on Manukau between 1:20 and 2,11.