Contact tracing teams are rushing to identify recent returnees who have travelled home from Queensland after the state entered a snap three-day lockdown on Saturday.
The quarantine-free trans-Tasman travel arrangement remains suspended. Eligible travellers from across Australia - with the exception of New South Wales - who needed to return to New Zealand were provided a seven-day window to do so, which ended at 11:59pm on Friday, July 30.
As of Tuesday, contact tracers have identified 4884 people who have returned to New Zealand from Queensland since Monday, July 26. Of those, contact has been made with 4681 people.
"As a result of Queensland's decision over the weekend to enter a three-day lockdown in parts of the state, we're contacting all travellers who've returned since last Monday, asking them to check locations of interest on the Queensland Health website and monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said in Tuesday's daily update.
"If people have returned on one of those managed return flights since last Monday, and have been at a location of interest at the relevant time, they should immediately isolate at home or appropriate accommodation and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing."
Staff have also identified 2997 people who travelled back to New Zealand on managed flights from Victoria between July 25 and 30 and have been required, under a section 70 notice, to isolate until a negative day-three test has been returned.
This number has reduced by two from Monday due to amendments to travel histories.
Of those, 1885 have so far returned a negative test. However, 526 results are due within the next couple of days, and the remainder are currently being assessed for follow-up.
On Tuesday, Queensland reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 in the community, all linked to a single cluster - bringing the outbreak to 47.
Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says officials are concerned as the origin of the outbreak remains unknown.
"I'm concerned that we don't know how this outbreak has happened. We know the very first two cases that arrived into Queensland on June 29, but I don't know how it's got from either of those two people to the first family in that Indooroopilly area."
Meanwhile, COVID-stricken New South Wales recorded an additional 199 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, 50 of which were infectious while in the community.
Case update
There remains no evidence of COVID-19 in the community, with no new cases to report in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities since the ministry's last update on Monday.
One case - a person who arrived on July 28 from the Philippines via the UAE - has been classified as a historical infection, meaning they were not infectious at the time of their swab - despite returning a positive result on arrival in New Zealand.
One COVID-positive returnee, reported on Sunday, has now been reclassified as 'under investigation' and as result, has been removed from the country's tally of confirmed cases.
Seven people have now recovered from the virus, bringing the number of active cases in New Zealand to 30.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is two.
To date, New Zealand has recorded a total of 2521 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Vaccination roll-out update
More than 1.979 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been administered to date, as of 11:59pm on Monday.
Of these, 1.221 million are first doses and more than 757,000 are second doses.
More than 110,600 Māori have received their first vaccination. Of these, around 71,000 have also had their second jabs, meaning they are fully vaccinated against the virus.
Nearly 76,300 doses have been administered to Pacific peoples. Of these, around 48,300 have also received their second jabs.
On Monday, early 35,000 doses in total were administered, comprising 25,500 first doses and nearly 9400 second doses.
Mattina update
The MS Mattina shipping vessel remains in quarantine at a secure berth in Bluff.
As of Tuesday morning, 13 of the original 21 mariners remain on-board the vessel.
One of the two mariners who were receiving treatment in Southland Hospital was discharged on Monday, but requires ongoing medical care for an unrelated condition.
He has been safely transferred to accommodation arranged by the Southern District Health Board, where his health can continue to be monitored and treated.
One mariner remains in hospital, with his condition improving.
One other mariner, who has tested negative for COVID-19, remains in arranged accommodation in Southland.
Another mariner, who was on board the Mattina, was successfully transported to a managed isolation facility in Christchurch on Monday. This mariner has serological evidence of a historical infection. He was originally required to remain on-board to maintain the basic functions of the vessel. However, the decision has been made that he can now disembark for isolation.
Transportation from the ship to quarantine for this mariner was carried out using all Infection, Prevention and Control procedures, including the use of appropriate PPE.
Five mariners from the vessel, who have consistently tested negative for COVID-19, are now in a managed isolation facility in Christchurch.
"Every possible public health precaution is being taken to care for the mariners in a way that provides the health care they need, and keeps health workers, port workers and the community safe," the spokesperson said.
