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The results of the Covid-19 tests that will begin arriving on Tuesday will be crucial in determining whether the virus has spread, health authorities say.
Among the results will be those of about 30 students and staff from Papatoetoe High School, close contacts of a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the community.
The teenager and her parents were announced as positive cases on Sunday.
That news brought Auckland to alert level 3 and the rest of the country to alert level 2.
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The trio are now in Auckland’s quarantine facility, Jet Park.
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
Thousands of people lined up for Covid-19 testing at a pop-up facility at Papatoetoe High School on Monday.
Thousands of members of the Papatoetoe High School community were tested Monday, and some people waited up to four hours for samples to be taken.
Those at the end of the line were told to come back Tuesday after it became apparent that health workers couldn’t include everyone.
Chief Health Officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield said it was “encouraging” to see the scope of testing being done, but that more results are needed to “really rule out” progressive transmission or more.
The results of the next few days would give authorities an “increasing level of security, assuming they are all negative,” he said.
Meanwhile, investigations are continuing into the source of infection for the three new cases and whether there has been further spread.
On Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the family has the British variant of the virus.
Work is underway to find the source of the case after testing has not linked it to any cases in managed isolation and quarantine facilities (MIQ).
Serological testing is also being done at Papatoetoe High School and among the mother’s co-workers at LSG Sky Chefs.
ROBERT KITCHEN / Things
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the investigations will continue on Tuesday.
Ardern said authorities continue to apply a variety of theories, including some considered “unlikely or highly improbable”, as it is “important not to leave a stone unturned.”
An alert level change will not be discussed on Tuesday.
On Monday, Ardern said he could say “with his hand on his heart,” officials had not yet had any conversation about the possibility of an extension after Wednesday.
“[You can get a] little sense at first, but [there are] there are no conclusions yet. “
