Anxious Rotorua residents flock to testing centres amid concerns of COVID-19 outbreak

Hundreds of Rotorua residents turned up to testing stations on Thursday to get swabbed for COVID-19 as new details emerged on where two positive cases travelled in the region.

Residents lined up at Rotorua International Stadium on Thursday morning to get tested in a city free of community transmission. 

But the DHB expects that to change.

Clinical nurse director Christine Payne says "it's inevitable" they will see a case in the coming days.

Payne told Newshub testing at the centre had been 'haywire' since it was revealed two members of the family who tested positive on Tuesday had recently visited the region.

"We had already planned to open a second venue this weekend as part of the routine surveillance, but clearly that became an immediate need so overnight we pulled this together."

On Thursday more details were revealed about the woman in her 20s and a preschool-aged child who visited Rotorua while symptomatic.

They stayed at the Waiora Lakeside Hotel and went to tourist attractions Skyline Gondola and Heritage Farm.

The two also ate at the Fat Dog, the Redwoods Burger Fuel, a Thai restaurant and a kebab shop.

Health officials are also following up other passengers on a boat cruise in Taupo they took.

But the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says that extensive itinerary isn't enough to move Rotorua to alert level 3.

"I don't think so because what we are finding is, the source of this and all the confirmed cases are in Auckland."

But despite the reassurances, Mayor Steve Chadwick says residents are worried.

"There was a sinking feeling, we're at as much risk as other 

communities like Auckland, so we're certainly feeling anxious."

Businesses are worried too, Newshub has learned of a number of hotels already facing cancellations.