In an update at 3pm, Dr Bloomfield said the pair, who travelled to Auckland from the United Kingdom via Doha and Brisbane on June 7, were in their 30s and 40s and from the same family.
They were visiting a relative in Wellington, who has since died. Bloomfield said the pair drove from Auckland to Wellington for the visit.
They were released to be with a grieving funeral and plan for a funeral which was being held next week after they completed their 14 day self-isolation requirement.
He said the funeral, which was for a parent, would be deferred until the pair were cleared to attend.
They were in managed isolation in the Novotel in Ellerslie and then permitted on compassionate grounds to travel between Auckland and Wellington on June 13 in a private vehicle.
The women had been careful not to put anyone at risk and had not stopped for petrol and had gone to the toilet on the side of the road.
"In this instance, the women did everything that was asked of them."
The vehicle was dropped to their hotel by a relative and they drove it to Wellington, where they only had contact with one family member.
They were tested yesterday and the results came back this morning. They are both now self-isolating in Wellington.
The cases are related to the border as a result of recent travel from the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Health confirmed in a statement.
The vehicle was dropped to their hotel and drove to Wellington, where they only had contact with one family member.
The women had face masks for their journey, he added.
Two teens flee from isolation after being let out for funeral
Bloomfield confirmed that two Hamilton teenagers were granted an exemption to attend a funeral and ran off afterwards. They have since been located, and one is in managed isolation, while the other is in an agreed community arrangement.
He did not know how many days their whereabouts were unknown.
Travel exemption
The exemption to travel to Wellington was due to compassionate grounds.
One of the women said in hindsight that she had had minor symptoms.
They were tested in Wellington, and all workers had used PPE.
Other potential contacts include those on the same flight from Brisbane, and those in the same managed isolation facility in Auckland, including staff.
Mobile swabbing teams had already been sent to the hotel. Staff there will be stood down and tested, Bloomfield said.
Footage was also being looked at when the women moved through the airport, and any staff who came into contact with the women will also be stood down and tested.
"A new case is something we hoped we wouldn't get but it's also something we expected."
Bloomfield said compassionate exemptions are only granted under strict conditions, and everyone granted an exemption is assumed to be a risk of Covid-19 and all precautions are taken to manage that risk.
Women not tested before leaving isolation
A negative test is usually needed before a person granted an exemption can leave managed isolation, Bloomfield said, but there was an exception made in this case.
Bloomfield said only people deemed to be low risk can be eligible to be released from managed isolation. From this point onward people would require a negative test to be considered low risk.
One family member is considered to be at risk so far, though people in the Wellington Hotel and on the same flight are deemed to be close contacts.
Bloomfield did not know how many close contacts there were at this stage.
The women had face masks for their journey, he added.
The current system can trace several hundred cases at a time, he said.
"Our aim here is to trace 100 per cent of people. We know exactly where they are."
He said he was not nervous that the women had infected other people.
Compassionate exemptions are not allowed for funerals but can be given for a visit to a dying relative, or to grieve a relative who has died with a small group of people.
Bloomfield did not know how many close contacts there were at this stage.
Today's news underscores the decision to scrap any exemption for those wanting to leave managed isolation for a funeral or tangi, he said.
He said 1527 tests were completed yesterday.
He said it wasn't surprising that people arriving at the border had tested positive, especially from the UK, where Covid-19 is not well contained.
He said the criteria for compassionate exemptions were clear. If an exemption is granted, a thorough plan has to be in place to manage the risk.
"In this instance, the women did everything that was asked of them."
He has asked everyone who has been granted an exemption to be tested.
In this case, the relative of the women died.
The woman's symptoms had been attributed to a preexisting condition, he said.
The women had been careful not to put anyone at risk, he said, and the women had not stopped for petrol and had gone to the toilet on the side of the road.
They arrived from Brisbane on June 7, applied for the exemption on June 12, and the relative died that night. Their exemption was granted that night and they travelled to Wellington the following day.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned again yesterday that there would be more Covid cases in the future, but hopefully they would only be at the border."I don't want New Zealanders to believe that the battle is over when it is not," she said yesterday.
Ardern has previously said she would not rule out the possibility of moving back up alert levels.
Every traveller who arrives into New Zealand on a flight which departs from another country must go into one of two facilities for an isolation period of 14 days.
If a traveller is symptomatic on arrival, they are placed in a quarantine facility for two weeks. If they are not symptomatic on arrival, they are placed in an approved managed isolation facility for two weeks, according to the ministry's website.
Since June 8, all travellers who arrived in the country were tested for Covid-19 at their respective facilities.
"Specific facilities are being used for a small number of travellers who are unwell when arriving in New Zealand. These people are in quarantine and are unable to leave their room," the ministry website says.
"Separate facilities are being used for travellers who are well. While in these facilities, they are able to go for a walk within the confines of the facility, but will need to limit contact with others.
"Travellers at these facilities may not leave the facility grounds for any reason unless they have express approval from health officials and are accompanied by health officials."
At the end of their two-week isolation period, travellers are able to leave the facility and travel to their final destination, given they have a suitable travel plan in place.
Before leaving, however, a final health check is carried out to make sure the traveller does not have a temperature above 38C, has not tested positive for Covid-19 or is a probable case, does not have Covid-19 symptoms and has a suitable travel plan.
The first 40 days of quarantining and isolating all people arriving from overseas amid the virus pandemic cost almost $50 million.
With 7755 people being housed and monitored in hotel rooms over that period, from April 10 to May 19, the average cost is about $6200 per person.
According to Ministry of Health data, 12 of them have tested positive for Covid-19 during that period. All but one had arrived from Australia, while the other person had flown in from the USA.
Related Stories
Comments
In hindsight she had symptoms?
There needs to be a review to see if this person was asked about having symptoms, and if they lied at any point about having symptoms.
This should be the last time an exemption is given to anyone on compassionate grounds.
These people have selfishly endangered everyone. They should not be allowed to hide their names. There needs to be consequences.
UNBELIEVABLE! After all that was asked of 5 million people for almost 2 months, this could happen?? Some slack at the airport thinking asking "Are you okay" would cut it? No words... the stupidity.