1 Apr 2021

Covid-19: Five new cases in MIQ, none in community - Ministry

1:45 pm on 1 April 2021

There are five new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation today and none in the community.

Medical scientist hand with blue sterile rubber gloves holding COVID-19 test tube in hospital laboratory. Male doctor or physician getting result of Coronavirus case.

Photo: 123RF

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the five cases all arrived from India via United Arab Emirates - two were from the same flight that arrived yesterday, and the other three were contacts of cases and arrived on separate flights on 20, 23, and 27 March.

The ministry said it was also reporting that one previously reported positive Covid-19 case has been reclassified as not a case following further testing and investigation.

"They have been assessed as an historical infection which has been recorded in their home country, and therefore has been removed from New Zealand's case numbers."

Nine people have now recovered, bringing the total number of active cases in New Zealand to 67.

The next planned update on cases is set for Sunday 4 April.

As of this morning, 333 of the 343 group of returnees who required additional monitoring after leaving the Grand Mercure isolation hotel have returned negative test results.

Of the remaining 10, two were exempt because they are infants, one refused and three have been assessed by public health officials as requiring no further action.

The ministry said it was monitoring the remaining four outstanding results.

MIQ today announced that the number of emergency spaces in managed isolation has been increased, and the grounds to apply have also been expanded to include visiting terminally ill relatives.

Hundreds of managed isolation vouchers have come free for April, and authorities are urging travellers to snap them up.

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