27 Mar 2021

Covid-19: One case in managed isolation, one new historical case.

1:52 pm on 27 March 2021

There has been one new case of Covid-19 in managed isolation and one new historical case reported today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.

Disease cell of Coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak and coronaviruses influenza background, infectious virus. SARS, 3D render

Photo: 123rf.com

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the new historical case reported today is a person who arrived from India on 28 February and returned negative test results while in managed isolation, before returning a positive test result as part of an employment requirement.

"Subsequent investigation, including serology testing, has determined this to be a historical case."

There have been 42 historical cases since 1 January, out of a total of 313 cases. The ministry said it was important to reiterate that historical cases are not considered to be infectious.

The other new imported case reported today arrived from Inidia on 23 March.

On Friday, there were three new imported cases reported by the MOH.

The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 74 and the total number of confirmed cases is 2125.

The ministry said the investigation into how a cleaner at the Grand Millennium was exposed to Covid-19 is continuing.

"All close and casual contacts of Case A have returned negative initial tests. We expect further test results in the coming days."

It was also announced yesterday that the ministry was investigating the possibility of a transmission at the Grand Mercure managed isolation facility after an infected returnee took part in a walk that required travel by bus.

MIQ boss Brigadier Jim Bliss said earlier this month 23 people were bussed to two managed isolation walks, which a now-known positive case took part in.

Bliss said he had put a 24-hour pause on busing returnees to managed isolation walks to allow staff to review their processes and make sure their protocols are appropriate.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said more than 5000 vaccine doses would be administered over the weekend and that by the end of Friday more than 50,000 doses were administered.

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