Two new Covid cases in managed isolation

There are no cases of Covid-19 in the community today and two new cases in MIQ, the Ministry of Health says.

There are also two new historical cases on board the Spanish fishing vessel Playa Zahara. The number of active cases in New Zealand is now 58.

The update comes as the ministry scrambles to determine whether two positive wastewater results this week in Taranaki mean there are undetected cases in the community.

People in the region are being urged to get tested, as well as anyone who has recently visited and who has symptoms.

The ministry is recommending anyone who has recently been in Australia who is now in Taranaki to get tested - even if they don't have symptoms.

The two positive wastewater results were taken on Monday and Thursday this week.

They could be because of recently recovered cases continuing to "shed" the virus, the ministry said yesterday.

"Wastewater testing is very sensitive and can pick up if they've had the virus previously," Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told TVNZ's Q+A this morning.

"That's still regarded as the most likely scenario at play here but we want to cover off all our bases."

Results for further wastewater sampling were being carried out yesterday in Taranaki and were expected back on Monday, the ministry said.

All tests of port workers and nurses have so far returned negative results.

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