25 Jan 2021

Covid-19: Hundreds asked to get tested after Northland case

From Morning Report, 6:38 am on 25 January 2021

Hundreds of people are being asked to stay home and get a Covid-19 test today after a Northland woman tested positive for the virus.

It's not known how she caught it or what the strain is but health officials are working on the assumption it might be the more transmissible variant of the virus.

The 56-year-old woman - who returned to New Zealand from Europe just before the New Year - returned a positive result nine days after leaving managed isolation.

A number of community testing centres across Northland - where the woman lives - will be operating today.

Chris Hipkins - the Minister in Charge of the Covid-19 Response - says the investigation and contact tracing has already begun.

Meanwhile, any staff at the hotel who haven't been tested in the past few days, will be given another test.

Thirty different locations were visited by the woman after she left managed isolation - including in Whangarei, Helensville, Mangawhai and Dargaville.

Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says they are now more strict with people who might have been in those locations.