Covid-19: Locations of interest released after infected Sydney man's Wellington visit

Full list of locations and times at bottom of article

The first locations of interest have been revealed including Te Papa Tongarewa, Rydges Hotel, a chemist and a bar.

A Covid-infected Sydney man visited a number of Wellington sites during a weekend trip across the Tasman.

The Ministry of Health says everyone who was at Te Papa's surrealist exhibition on Saturday June 19 from 4pm - 5.45pm are considered a close contact and need to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.

It also says those who were at Jack Hackett's Bar on June 19 between 8.45pm to midnight are also deemed close contacts.

Other places, including Rydges Hotel, Unichem Wellington Central Pharmacy and Te Papa Tongarewa - general, where people are considered casual plus contacts.

Casual plus contacts are people who have had exposure to a case, but who do not meet the criteria of a close contact. The ministry says those who were regarded as casual plus contacts were required to get a test around Day 5 after last exposure and stay at home until a negative test result was received. They were then asked to self-monitor for Covid symptoms for 14 days.

Casual plus contacts are required to stay at home while a day five test result is pending.

The ministry says those in the Rydges hotel have potentially been exposed to the infected traveller from midnight on June 19 to 9.10am on June 21.

The Unichem Wellington Central pharmacy is a considered a location of interest on June 19 between 10.38am to 11.48am.

Te Papa tongarewa - general is considered a casual exposure site on June 19 from 3.05pm to 5:45pm.

But those visiting the surrealist art exhbition Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen are being placed on higher alert and considered at greatest risk.

The ministry says those in the exhibition between 4pm - 5:45pm need to take urgent action and get tested.

The art exhibition is touted as the biggest international art exhibition to ever shown at Te Papa. It includes 180 works by celebrated artists including Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte and Man Ray.

The ministry said extra time had been added on either side of each visit to ensure all potential contacts were reached.

A public health alert was issued last night by New South Wales Health that identified two flights as exposure sites.

They are Qantas QF 163, that arrived in Wellington on June 19 at 12.12am and Air New Zealand flight NZ247 that departed on Monday at 10.13am.

All those on board the flights were considered close contacts and asked to get tested and isolated for 14 days.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the man, who tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday afternoon, had visited "quite a number" of tourist attractions in the capital at the weekend.

The man and his partner flew in on Friday night just after midnight and returned home Monday.

Bloomfield this morning revealed the man, who was considered infectious during his time in Wellington, developed symptoms on the flight back.

He tested positive for Covid yesterday afternoon and is considered the first Australian traveller to have brought the infection to New Zealand and returned home.

Bloomfield said health officials spoke to him last night in order to compile a list of places he had visited.

Affected businesses would be contacted before the public was notified, he told NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking.

ir New Zealand confirmed this morning the craft's operating crew had been asked to self-isolate and get tested.

The airline's chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan said the company was alerted last night that a passenger travelling from Wellington to Sydney on Monday had tested positive.

The aircraft was cleaned to usual standards upon arrival into Sydney and then again yesterday evening, he said.

Earlier the Ministry of Health said four close contacts had so far been identified and were now isolating.

Location nameAddressDayTimeContact CategoryWhat to do
Qantas Flight QF163 Sydney to WellingtonArrived Wellington International Airport19 JuneArrival 12.05amClose ContactIsolate/quarantine for 14 days from last exposure. Test immediately (unless it's within 1 day of their next scheduled test), and on day 5 after last exposure and day 12 after last exposure. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Rydges Hotel75 Featherston Street, Pipitea, Wellington 601119 June to 21 June12am 19 June to 9:10am 21 JuneCasual PlusGet a test around Day 5 after last exposure and stay at home until negative test result is received. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms develop, get a test immediately and stay at home until negative test result is received. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Unichem Wellington Central Pharmacy204 Lambton Quay, Wellington19 June10.38am to 11:48amCasual PlusGet a test around Day 5 after last exposure and stay at home until negative test result is received. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms develop, get a test immediately and stay at home until negative test result is received. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Te Papa Tongarewa - general55 Cable Street, Wellington19 June3:05pm to 5:45pmCasual PlusGet a test around Day 5 after last exposure and stay at home until negative test result is received. Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms develop, get a test immediately and stay at home until negative test result is received. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Te Papa Tongarewa - Exhibition Surrealist Art: Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen55 Cable Street, Wellington19 June4pm to 5:45pmClose ContactIsolate/quarantine for 14 days from last exposure. Test immediately (unless it's within 1 day of their next scheduled test), and on day 5 after last exposure and day 12 after last exposure. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Jack Hackett's Bar5 Inglewood Place, Wellington19 June8:45pm to 12 amClose ContactIsolate/quarantine for 14 days from last exposure. Test immediately (unless it's within 1 day of their next scheduled test), and on day 5 after last exposure and day 12 after last exposure. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

What to do
Anyone at the locations classified as a 'close contact' should isolate or quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure, get tested immediately (unless it's within 1 day of their next scheduled test) and on day 5 after last exposure and day 12 after last exposure, and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

Te Papa said it was closing for the day after three contacts of Covid cases visited on Saturday.

Updates on the locations of interest are on the Ministry of Health website here.

The New South Wales health authority last night also listed the return flight to Sydney in its alert, saying all passengers should be considered close contacts.

It was Air New Zealand NZ247, which left Wellington at 10.13am on Monday 21 June, arriving in Sydney at 11.33am.

- NZ Herald and RNZ