One new community case

 

Papatoetoe High School resumed classes today after the lastest community outbreak saw three...
Papatoetoe High School resumed classes today after the lastest community outbreak saw three pupils infected with coronavirus. Photo: NZ Herald
The Ministry of Health has revealed one new community case of Covid-19 just hours before Auckland learns if alert levels will be revised down.

The Ministry said the the new community case is linked to the existing Auckland February cases and the individual has been in quarantine since Friday. 

They are a household contact of the second family to be infected by the virus.

There are also six new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation.

Thye community case (Case H) had previously been tested, returned a negative result and was isolating at home since Monday last week.

The person was transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility on Friday 19 February as a precaution.

Due to Case H being in isolation while infectious there were no additional contacts to report, said the ministry.

Because of steps already taken in identifying, testing and tracing individuals linked to the February cases, as well as Case H isolating at home since Monday and then being in quarantine for the last two days, the public health risk was considered very low, said the ministry.

Meanwhile, some casual plus contacts at Papatoetoe High School have been required to have a second PCR test. It included four teachers and 28 students where a record of the test result wasn't available or a more recent test was required.

Close contacts were expected to return to school on Wednesday 24 February or when advised by Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

The ministry said contact tracing had identified a total of 125 close contacts associated with all cases in this cluster, aside from the positive cases which have previously been reported.

Three previously reported close contacts have been ruled out on further investigation and one infant is not required to be tested.

Of the remainder, 122 of the close contacts have returned a negative test result.

"We are awaiting test results for two people - all of whom are from the medical clinic and relate to Case C, which is considered a low risk exposure event," said the ministry.

As at 8.00am a total of 31 close contacts and 1,416 casual plus contacts have been identified at Papatoetoe High School. The number of casual plus contacts had increased by three following further investigation.

Of the casual plus contacts comprising other students and staff at the school, 1,402 have returned negative results. There was one positive (Case E), and 13 results were still outstanding.

"Once again we would like to thank the teachers, staff, students and their families for testing and isolating as required to keep their community safe," said the ministry.

The ministry said the Auckland Airport precinct where the woman at the start of the February cluster worked remained "the most likely source of the outbreak", but further testing has not identified any potential transmission routes.

All scenarios for possible infection sources of the Auckland February cases continue to be thoroughly investigated.

This morning, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, told The AM Show she expected the Auckland region to drop down to alert level 1 today, so long as there were no new cases linked to the cluster.

"Bar anything untoward arising, I would expect we move down the alert levels," Ardern said

This morning, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced there had been no new community cases overnight.

She told The AM Show she expected the Auckland region to drop down to alert level 1 today, so long as there were no new cases linked to the cluster.

"Bar anything untoward arising, I would expect we move down the alert levels," Ardern said.

If there are no new cases linked to the cluster it will mean the third consecutive day without fresh cases in the community. The toll for this latest outbreak stands at six.

It includes three students at Papatoetoe High School.

This morning, classes resumed at the South Auckland college minus the infected pupils and 31 close contacts who will remain in self-isolation and quarantine for another week.

All those returning to school must test negative for Covid-19.

It's been just over a week since New Zealand took extreme measures to curb a community outbreak which was confirmed on February 14, with no clear source of transmission from the border.

By Friday, six people - three members of two families - were found to be infected.

As a result, more than 71,000 people were tested across Auckland and Taranaki, where members of one of the infected families had been on holiday while infectious.

All cases were epidemiologically linked but health officials have not found a clear link to the border.

Last week it emerged there was a possibility the genome structure had similarities to a returnee who had previously stayed at Auckland's Four Points by Sheraton managed isolation facility in December.

Contact tracing was underway to have everyone staying at the hotel at the same time re-tested.

Meanwhile, as the vaccine campaign begins, Cabinet was due to decide this afternoon whether Auckland should have its alert level settings revised.

The decision is due at 3pm.