Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the latest case of an infected MIQ hotel worker poses a "low risk" and there are no community cases to report today.
Hipkins was joined by Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield to provide an update on vaccinations and Covid cases this afternoon. The Government has made decisions about exceptions to its vaccine plan.
Hipkins said a family member of the managed isolation worker who tested positive has received a second negative test after previously getting a weak-positive result.
Bloomfield said this pattern could indicate it was either a fleeting infection that had since passed, or it was a false positive.
There is still only one location of interest, the Mt Roskill Countdown between 3pm and 3.15pm on Saturday March 20.
The MIQ worker, a cleaner, remained asymptomatic.
There are places the person visited but where no one was exposed to the virus and the person was using appropriate PPE gear while working, Bloomfield said.
CCTV footage and access card records for the MIQ worker that tested positive are being investigated.
Genome sequencing has revealed a cleaner at a managed isolation hotel who tested positive for Covid-19 has the UK variant B117, and their infection is a close match to that of a recent returnee.
The person worked at the Grand Millennium managed isolation hotel in Auckland where the returnee stayed from March 13-15. The guest had tested positive on 'day zero-one' testing.
Anyone in a border worker's immediate family group that hasn't had their appointment confirmed within a week of submitting their details should call Healthline, he said.
Three new cases in managed isolation
There are three new positive cases of Covid-19 to report in managed isolation. They arrived from Ethiopia, India and Indonesia on March 21 and are in manged isolation in Auckland.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is five. The number of previously reported cases that have now recovered is three. The total number of active cases in New Zealand today is 67, while the total number of confirmed cases is 2114.
Grand Mercure Day 12 Case
Auckland public health officials have reviewed 23 Grand Mercure returnees who were on one of two buses to an exercise area with a fellow guest whose test returned positive for Covid-19 while they were out exercising.
In a statement this afternoon, the Ministry of Health said the managed isolation stay for those people would be extended.
"Some of these people will now be managed as close contacts and will be required to stay in managed isolation for an additional 14 days from the date of the potential exposure event. Others are required to stay for an additional five days from the date of the potential exposure event. This will provide us with assurance that there is no risk to the public.
"We acknowledge the disruption this will cause to these people and thank them for their patience."
Exemptions for early vaccinations
Covid Recovert Minister Chris Hipkins said the Government has made decisions about exceptions to the vaccine plan.
This includes people who need to travel outside New Zealand for compassionate grounds, including needing to provide critical care for a dependent, visiting an immediate family member who is dying, or accessing critical care themselves.
Representing New Zealand in an official capacity was also an exception, he said.
This will not include private or recreational travel.
Applications will open on March 31.
While funerals are a difficult time for families, they are not included in the compassionate grounds for early vaccination, Hipkins said.
"We had to draw the line somewhere, and this is where we drew the line."
There may be a few hundred athletes who meet the criteria, he says, including Olympians.
"It has to meet those national significance criteria."
Vaccine doses
About 41,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered. By Tuesday there should be 50 vaccination clinics open, Hipkins said. "We're broadly on schedule."
Bloomfield said they have delivered about 93% of the vaccines they had hoped to by this time.
"Slightly behind, but it's ramping up every day."
Of the border workers, there is a 95% acceptance rate, he said.
Anyone in a border worker's immediate family group that hasn't had their appointment confirmed within a week of submitting their details should call Healthline, he says.
At present, MIQ is sitting at the desired capacity, Hipkins said, but the possibility of a waitlist system for MIQ was being explored.
Changes to managed isolation fees
In a statement, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said that from June 1, returning New Zealand citizens and residents would need to stay in the country for at least 180 days in order to not be liable to pay managed isolation fees.
This doubles the current 90-day rule.
Temporary entry class visa holders travelling separately from their partners, spouses, legal guardians or children (under 18) of New Zealand citizens or residents, will also be charged higher fees of $5520 for the first or only person in a room, $2990 for an additional adult, and $1610 for an additional child (all including GST).
MBIE can grant a full or partial waiver of managed isolation fees in cases of financial hardship or other special circumstances, or arrange an instalment plan or deferment of payment, for anyone entering the country who is liable for MIQ fees (except critical workers).
- additional reporting ODT Online
