Coronavirus: Air New Zealand staff amongst confirmed COVID-19 cases

Air New Zealand staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
The airline informed staff via email today. Photo credit: Getty / Air New Zealand file

Multiple employees of Air New Zealand have tested positive for COVID-19.

In an email sent to staff on Friday afternoon and shared with Newshub, the airline confirmed it was aware of "confirmed cases" within the Air NZ workforce.

The airline said it was unable to pinpoint exactly how its workers contracted the disease, but they had travelled to the UK and the US where community transmission is common.

No further details about the people infected were given for privacy reasons, but Air NZ said they were "doing okay and following Department of Health guidelines".

Air NZ said it was working to identify any staff members who may have been in close contact with the new cases which would take up to 48 hours.

Staff were told that despite working on the frontline as essential service workers, the risk to flight attendants remains low.

"We would like to reassure you that while you have no symptoms you are no risk to other people," the email to staff reads.

"All crew should continue with their lives as they otherwise would while these cases are investigated."

However, it added that cabin crew should self-isolate when they're not working both in Aotearoa and while abroad.

Earlier this week Air NZ released its interim international schedule which revealed a drastically reduced number of flights due to the coronavirus pandemic.