2 Nov 2020

Covid-19: Four imported Covid-19 cases, none in community

1:06 pm on 2 November 2020

There are four new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation and quarantine facilities today, including one person who was allowed to join a family member recently arrived from overseas.

Covid-19 coronavirus particles, illustration.

Illustration of SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. Photo: AFP

There was no live briefing today.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said two of the four cases were from travellers found in routine testing, and one was one of the international mariners who returned a positive test on day 15, having been a close contact of another case.

One case was detected in managed isolation in Auckland, after being given permission to join a family member recently arrived from overseas. The family member had previously been recorded in positive case totals and today's case will be recorded as an import-related case, the ministry said.

The results bring active cases to 81, and total confirmed cases to 1607.

Laboratories completed 3046 tests yesterday, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 1,104,113.

Yesterday, there were two new cases in managed isolation and the Christchurch returnee cluster was closed.

The international mariner case brings total cases in that group to 31, and has been taken to quarantine. Their close contact had tested positive on day six of their stay.

The ministry said mariners from that group who were considered low risk - having recovered or consistently returned negative tests - would be able to leave managed isolation from tomorrow. It noted some of them had been tested four times since arriving.

Of the cases who were arriving travellers, one had arrived in New Zealand from Milan via Singapore on 19 October, and tested positive around day 12 of their stay. The other arrived from London via Singapore on 28 October and tested positive around day 3 of their stay.

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre

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