The Ministry of Health is reporting there are no new cases of Covid-19 in the community and six new cases in quarantine.
Three of the six new cases are recent arrivals from overseas, while the other three are from the Mattina container ship which is moored in Bluff.
"The remaining six confirmed cases aboard the Mattina, already announced by the Ministry this morning, are expected to be added to our confirmed cases tally in tomorrow’s update."
One previously reported case has now recovered.
A previously reported case from 16 July has now been deemed as a historical case. It has been removed from our confirmed cases tally as it was reported as a historical case in their home country.
The number of active cases in New Zealand is 51.
Since 1 January 2021, there have been 99 historical cases, out of a total of 649 cases.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is five.
Our total number of confirmed cases is 2466.
Quarantine Free Travel rule change
A change to the rules around Quarantine Free Travel (QFT) with Australia now allows people to return to NZ if they have been in ‘low risk’ States or Territories (i.e. those with which QFT is not paused) for 14 days or more, as long as they meet the other QFT conditions of entry. It also exempts people arriving from Norfolk Island from the pre-departure test requirement for entry into NZ on a QFT flight. The change came into force from 11.59pm on 19 July 2021.
This means that people who have been outside New South Wales or Victoria for 14 days or more, and who meet all other QFT criteria, can now return to New Zealand on normal quarantine-free flights.
The change reflects public health advice that, with all the other safeguards, these people pose a low risk of bringing Covid-19 into New Zealand. Pre-departure tests are still required 72 hour prior to travel for all States/Territories except NSW (because people arriving from there have to go into MIQ) and now Norfolk Island.
Playa Zahara Update
Daily health and welfare checks are continuing for all crew members who remain onboard the Playa Zahara in quarantine in Lyttelton.
None of the 16 previously reported confirmed cases from the Playa Zahara have been included in our case tally at this stage, as they remain under investigation to determine if they’re current or historical cases.
Travellers from Australia
The pause on Quarantine-Free Travel from Victoria and New South Wales will be reviewed again on Wednesday 21 July.
Advice for recent travellers from Australia:
Anyone who was in Queensland since 28 June is encouraged to check the Queensland Health website for locations of interest.
Anyone who was in Victoria since 8 July is encouraged to keep checking the Victoria Health website for locations of interest, with new locations continuing to be announced.
Anyone who was in South Australia since 9 July is encouraged to check the South Australia Health website for locations of interest.
People who have been at these locations at the relevant time are required under a section 70 notice of the Health Act to immediately isolate at their home or appropriate accommodation and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing.
Further information about Quarantine-Free Travel between Australia and New Zealand, and details about acceptable pre-departure documentation, is available on the Unite Against COVID-19 website.
So far, contact tracing has identified 31 people in New Zealand who have been in locations of interest in the two states at the relevant time.
Of those, 28 have returned negative results. Two contacts are not yet due for their day 5 test and the test result for one contact is pending.
