A 27-year-old man will appear in Hamilton District Court today charged with allegedly faking a Covid-19 positive test result.

The man, from Cambridge, is said to have edited an official text message to suggest he had tested positive for the disease, rather than the actual negative test result he received.

Waikato West Police confirmed the arrest last night, saying the man has been charged with altering a document with intent to deceive after editing a text message to inaccurately state he had returned a positive Covid-19 test result.

'Yesterday (Wednesday), the man allegedly edited an official text message informing him he had returned a negative Covid-19 test result to read that he had returned a positive test result,” says Inspector Will Loughrin, Waikato West Area Commander.

'The man then contacted a number of people informing them he had returned a positive test result.”

One of those who was contacted then informed police on Wednesday night of their suspicions.

'The Ministry of Health has confirmed the individual undertook a Covid-19 test on September 20, which returned a negative test result on September 22,” says Loughrin.

'This is extremely disappointing behaviour that has caused unnecessary distress for a number of people in the Cambridge community.”