Wellington, June 21, 2020
There have been two new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, both in isolation.
One of the new cases is the child of the couple who tested positive yesterday, and the other is a 59-year-old woman who travelled from Delhi.
The Ministry of Health said in a statement that they would not provide the exact age of the child who arrived with its parents from India, but it was under two years old.
“We are pleased to report that all family members are doing well at the Jet Park Hotel, the quarantine facility in Auckland.”
The second case arrived in Auckland on 15 June on flight AI1316.
“She was tested while at the Grand Millennium managed isolation facility and was travelling with her partner, who has also been tested and whose result is pending. Active follow up is now underway. An update will be provided on Monday on this case and the follow up of other cases from last week.”
The Numbers in New Zealand
There are now seven active cases in this country. The total number of confirmed cases is 1161. The combined total of confirmed and probable cases is 1511.
Yesterday, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that there were two new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand – a couple in the 20s who had returned from India with an infant child.
The couple showed no symptoms and returned a positive result after being tested on day 12 of isolation, and taken to the Jet Park quarantine hotel.
On Tuesday (June 16, 2020), it was revealed that two women who had arrived from the UK had tested positive, after they were released from isolation on compassionate grounds.
The Ministry said that there were 386 close contacts of the two women who being followed up and tested, and 288 negative tests had now been recorded. There are 25 people who still need to be contacted.
Thursday’s positive case was a man in his 60s who is in quarantine after arriving from Pakistan.
The Ministry said that 207 people were identified for follow up to this case, including those on the same flight. Of those, 25 people have been tested, with 15 negative test results to date. It said 177 further people will be tested on day 12 in the managed isolation facility.
To date, 94 of these people have been tested.
More cases expected
“Efforts continue to follow up the small number of people who we have not managed to reach yet.”
Dr Bloomfield said that the country could expect more new cases of Covid-19, as New Zealanders return home from overseas.
“It is good that the systems are in place to detect these cases. Testing, particularly at the border, will continue to be an important part of our Covid-19 response. Yesterday, New Zealand’s laboratories completed 5950 tests, bringing the total completed to date to 341,117. This is a very high Saturday total, which again underscores the high capacity of our laboratories and the testing that continues in the community and across our managed isolation facilities,” he said.
–Published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
