COVID-19: Wellington locations of interest revealed after Sydneysider who visited NZ capital tests positive

Locations of interest in Wellington have been revealed after a confirmed case of COVID-19 flew from Sydney to Wellington for three days over the weekend.

The traveller tested positive upon returning to Australia but New Zealand's Ministry of Health says they most likely contracted the virus in Sydney prior to their trip.

People who visited the locations of interest below are considered close contacts and are being asked by the Ministry of Health to get tested immediately and isolate for two weeks.

  • Qantas Flight QF163 from Sydney to Wellington, June 19 (arrived in capital at 12:05am)
  • Te Papa Tongarewa - Exhibition Surrealist Art: Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, June 19 (4pm - 5:45pm)
  • Jack Hackett's Bar, June 19 (5:20pm - 5:25pm).

People who visited the three locations of interest below are considered casual-plus contacts. These individuals are asked to get tested for COVID-19 about five days after the date of their visit and isolate until a negative result is returned.

  • Rydges Hotel, Featherston St (12am June 19 - 9:10am June 21)
  • Unichem Wellington Central, June 19 (10:38am - 11:48am)
  • Te Papa Tongarewa - general, June 19 (3:05pm - 4:45pm).
COVID-19: Wellington locations of interest revealed after Sydneysider who visited NZ capital tests positive

Earlier, Health Minister Andrew Little said there will be no immediate alert level change for Wellington.

"We don't do that just on a whim," he told The AM Show. "We will assess what the situation is once we get that information."

Officials will provide further details at a press conference at 1pm.

What is a casual-plus contact?

Due to the risk of more transmissable coronavirus variants, some casual contacts are being referred to as "casual-plus".

A casual-plus contact is someone who had limited exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case, but are asked to take extra precautionary steps due to possible higher risks of transmission, the Ministry of Health says.

The latest case was confirmed to be carrying the highly infectious Delta variant.