COVID-19: One new community coronavirus case, five in managed isolation

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield. Photo credit: Getty

There are six new cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand on Sunday - five in managed isolation and one linked to the quarantine worker who tested positive on Friday.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said the new community case (Case B) had a work-related meeting with the first case (Case A) on November 4 in Auckland before travelling home to Wellington.

Both are Defence Force employees.

The ministry said Case A has been working at the Auckland facility and while Case B does not work at the facility, they had a work-related meeting with Case A on Wednesday in Auckland before travelling home to Wellington.

Attendees at this meeting have been identified and are isolating, the ministry said.

"Genomic testing is underway to confirm, however Case B is currently regarded as a community case which can be traced to the isolation facility. They are now in a quarantine facility in Wellington.

"Five household contacts are in self-isolation and are being tested.

"Case B flew from Auckland to Wellington on Thursday evening on Air New Zealand flight NZ 457 and sat in row 23. Those passengers sitting two seats in all directions are being contacted and asked to get tested and self-isolate until November 19.

"As an added precaution, we are also asking the households of these flight close contacts to isolate until advised that their flight close contact has had a negative test. These households are regarded as second-order contacts."

The ministry said anyone else who was on the flight and is concerned about their health can call Healthline.

New cases from managed isolation include:

  • One case who arrived from Italy via Hawaii on November 3
  • Two cases who arrived from the UAE - but did not travel together - on November 3
  • One case who arrived from Romania via Doha and Australia on November 3
  • One case who arrived from Germany via the UAE on November 5 and was taken directly to the quarantine facility after appearing symptomatic

The total number of active cases is 48. The total number of confirmed cases is now 1626.

RNZ