Queenstown locals are being urged to get tested for Covid-19 following a lower-than-expected turnout in the resort over the weekend.
The Ministry of Health made the call in a statement today, in which it also advised of three new cases of the disease in the country, all in managed isolation.
The three cases comprise the child of a previously reported case, a woman in her 30s an a woman in her 40s. The three were now at the Auckland quarantine facility, the ministry said.
The ministry said laboratories yesterday completed 2401 tests, "of which 2023 swabs were taken in the community, and 378 were taken in managed isolation and quarantine facilities".
This brought the total number of tests completed to date to 470,469.
"Yesterday's total is up on the last two Saturdays – on which 1754 and 1365 tests were completed respectively – but we still want to see testing numbers increase, particularly in Auckland and Queenstown."
It said said surveillance testing had been undertaken over the weekend in Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch, which are connected to a traveller to New Zealand who tested positive in South Korea last month.
"Testing at Queenstown Medical Centre has been ongoing over the weekend, with people responding to the call to be tested if they have developed symptoms since July 1.
"However, numbers tested have been lower than expected.
"Southern DHB will be undertaking further community testing at a pop-up testing centre on Tuesday, August 4 from 9am in the Pak'nSave carpark.
"We are especially asking Queenstown locals to come forward, and in particular those who are working in public-facing roles and may have had symptoms during July.
"People don't need to have experienced symptoms to be tested in the pop-up centre and they won't need to self-isolate while they await the result of the test.
"The person who has tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in South Korea was in South Auckland from 20 June–20 July, Queenstown from 1-4 July and in and around Christchurch Airport on 20 and 21 July.
"Anyone who was in those areas around those dates can contact Healthline or their GP for advice on being tested – the assessment and testing are both free."
