A father who got COVID-19 from his daughter, who's a nurse at Waitakere Hospital, says his family did "everything humanly possible" to avoid catching the virus.
His daughter is one of seven nurses who contracted COVID-19 while working at Waitakere Hospital.
He then developed a persistent cough, got a test, and tested positive too.
"Coughing your lungs out basically and I had a dryness of throat in the morning, and a very low-grade fever," the man said of his symptoms.
Eventually, he needed hospital care.
"They did a blood culture and then an x-ray of my lungs," he said in an exclusive interview with Newshub. "I was put on a drip for a short while."
On Tuesday, he left hospital and is now at a motel in isolation. He had been living with his family, including his daughter, but said they took every precaution.
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"What was humanly possible, we did that," he said.
His daughter, who worked on the hospital's COVID-19 ward, showered at work and would remove her shoes before entering the house.
Ideally, he said separating family who are health workers may be necessary. Just more than a week ago, after he and his daughter tested positive, Health Minister David Clark announced funding for temporary accommodation for frontline workers.
But health workers only qualify if they live with someone aged 70 and over or if the person has health problems, if there's "no feasible way to mitigate potential risks", or if some has been asked to relocate to work elsewhere.
In the case Newshub has highlighted, the family wouldn't have met the criteria.
"I would be interested if it is causing a barrier for some people," said Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. "I think it's important to have criteria."
The Health Ministry says since last week, only one health worker has asked for funded accommodation and that was approved. At Waitakere Hospital alone, four household contacts of the seven nurses who tested positive are now also confirmed or probable cases.
In total, 169 health workers have caught the virus including 57 nurses.
The Waitemata DHB told Newshub it has, "where appropriate", offered staff alternative accomodation. A spokesperson said this offer was made available on April 9.
The nurse's father spoke to Newshub because he wants everyone to take every precaution possible.
"My message is, please take it really seriously," he said.
He also said "he's pleased" issues at the hospital are being addressed "for the good of the health workers".
Regardless of what's happened to his family, he said he's proud of his daughter and all nurses who are working selflessly during a period of such great risk.
Last week, the Waitemata DHB apologised after a report highlighted poor planning and nurses being left with ill-fitting PPE on the COVID-19 ward.
