The latest possible southern Covid-19 case has been confirmed as a historic infection, but health organisations in Otago and Southland are continuing to increase preparations for the expected arrival of the Delta variant of the disease.
Senior Southern District Health Board staff were in Queenstown yesterday to inspect possible self-isolation and quarantine (SIQ) facilities in the resort town, while WellSouth primary health organisation said it was close to confirming a new Covid testing centre in Invercargill.
The Ministry of Health yesterday announced 95 new community transmission cases of Covid-19, and confirmed the deaths of two Aucklanders from the disease.
It also said a southern Covid case it highlighted this week as possibly connected to a hut in Fiordland was now considered a historic case and no longer of concern.
However, a new case was identified in Christchurch, taking to six the number of Covid cases in the latest outbreak in the city.
The person, who had a clear link to the outbreak, had been transferred to a managed isolation and quarantine facility.
Southern board chief executive Chris Fleming said the organisation was looking for about six extra beds in and around Queenstown, to add to two beds already arranged there.
The board is also close to confirming the lease on a 22-bed facility to be used for all of next year for SIQ in Dunedin.
It is expected the beds in Queenstown will be available for use over the holiday period, and following that any Covid patients in the region who needed a place to isolate would be transferred to Dunedin.
The board was still negotiating transport arrangements for Covid patients to Dunedin.
The number of SIQ berths being arranged by the SDHB reflects its current view of how many cases the South might experience.
A WellSouth spokeswoman said the primary health organisation was close to confirming a location for a testing centre in Invercargill, to augment one it opened in Dunedin this week.
It had also reached agreement with local providers to offer extra testing capacity in Queenstown and Wanaka.
