LIVE: Covid-19 media update

Minister for COVID-19 Response, Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ.

UPDATE 1.09PM: A managed isolation worker has tested positive for Covid-19.

The rest of the case's family has been tested - three returned negative results and one returned a weak positive result.

Minister for COVID-19 Response, Chris Hipkins. says there has been very limited exposure and the risk is low.

However, the government needs to work quickly to keep the risk to the community low, he says.

Washing hands and sanitising continue to be important things New Zealanders need to be doing, as is scanning in, he said.

In a statement last night, the Ministry of Health says the case was picked up through routine surveillance testing.

The worker had been vaccinated against the virus.

Yesterday, other than the worker, there were eight cases in MIQ and none in the community.

During today's live update, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there are three new cases in managed isolation today.

He says there are currently 68 active cases in New Zealand.

Since the pandemic began, there has been a total of 2112 cases of Covid-19 in the country.

-RNZ.

EARLIER:

The Minister for Covid-19 Response, Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, are expected to provide an update to the media about Covid-19 in New Zedaland.

The pair are expected to front media from 1pm.

A live stream will be available above.

SunLive will also be providing an update throughout the afternoon for those who are not able to tune into the livestream.

Overnight, the Ministry of Health reported a positive Covid-19 test result in a managed isolation worker at the Grand Millenium Hotel, Auckland.

The worker was tested as part of routine surveillance testing.

"The information available indicates the worker is asymptomatic," says a statement from the Ministry of Health.

"Further investigation is being undertaken.

"The managed isolation worker and their immediate household members are isolating at home in Auckland this evening.

"Additional tests and whole genome sequencing are currently being arranged."

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4 comments

Vaccinations prior to arrival?

Posted on 23-03-2021 14:11 | By Equality

I thought people coming into NZ now had to prove having been vaccinated at least 72 hrs before they board the plane to NZ. ? Why are they here - why do they have COVID ?? Sooner or later one of these people are going to 'escape' into the community - and we start all over again! What is wrong with this government!?


Suites and Penthouses

Posted on 23-03-2021 14:17 | By The Professor

Recently I read an article saying that hotels are not allowed to charge people for upgrades to suites and penthouses. These level of accommodations should be reserved for MIQ workers who have to go into isolation or quarantine. They generally do an awesome job in helping to protect NZ so the least we can do, is look after them when they come down sick through their work.


@Equality

Posted on 23-03-2021 14:37 | By The Professor

Good comments, but I think the requirement is to have had a COVID test 72 hours before getting on the aircraft. However, I think the Government needs to go further now and say that people coming to NZ must be vaccinated 14 days prior to getting on the aircraft. They also need to show a clear test. That way, in theory, no more COVID cases should arrive in NZ........problem solved :-)


Reply from COVID response

Posted on 23-03-2021 15:09 | By Equality

..... team re my comment below. "People travelling to NZ are required to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of beginning their travel. This result tells us what is happening for that person at the time of the test only. The average time between exposure to an infected person and onset of symptoms is 4 – 5 days. This means a person who is in the early stages of incubating Covid-19 may return a negative result which may later turn positive once they develop symptoms. In addition, many of those travelling will be on long haul flights with stop overs in various airports and potential mixing and mingling with others which increases the potential for exposure to cases in those locations and during the flight itself."


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