A COVID-infected crew member on board a container ship quarantined in Bluff has been transferred to hospital, the Southern District Health Board has confirmed.
Marshall Island-flagged vessel the Mattina came into port earlier this month and all 21 crew members were tested. Fifteen of the crew members later returned COVID-positive results.
"One of the COVID-19 positive mariners aboard the MS Mattina, currently berthed at South Port, has this afternoon been transferred to Southland Hospital for assessment and possibly ongoing care.
"This was done in a carefully planned and co-ordinated way, working with St John, ED and other hospital staff, under the guidance of Southern DHB medical officers of health," Southland Hospital acting general manager Jo McLeod said.
Remaining infected crew members are still on the ship, McLeod said. Other crew members who have tested negative are in Christchurch managed isolation facilities and the crew's captain is in Southland quarantine accommodation.
The ship remains in quarantine, the Ministry of Health said.
"Every safety precaution has been taken to ensure the public health risk, which has been deemed low, remains that way," a ministry spokesperson said in Wednesday's daily COVID-19 update.
The Mattina was the third ship carrying COVID-19 cases to enter New Zealand ports this month.
