There are two new cases of Covid-19 to report in New Zealand today in managed isolation and one historic case.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield revealed details at a news conference in Auckland this afternoon and how many healthcare workers became ill with the virus in the first wave of the pandemic.
Bloomfield said 167 Covid-19 cases were healthcare and support workers - 96 were likely to have been infected in the workplace, with the rest either infected overseas or in the community. Of the healthcare workers, 62.5% worked in aged residential care.
On the new cases, Bloomfield said one in managed isolation returned from isolation and developed symptoms around day eight of their stay in Rotorua. The other person returned from Hong Kong and tested positive on their day three test.
The historic case returned from India and completed their managed isolation and was followed up as part of their investigation.
Auckland is enjoying its first day at alert level 1 after weeks of restrictions due to a large cluster in the city in August.
Yesterday, a milestone was reached when Health Minister Chris Hipkins revealed that all those associated with the cluster had recovered from the virus.
There are 39 imported active cases. Bloomfield said it was "a great milestone" there were no active cases in the community.
He said it was worth reflecting on our "collective success" but Covid continued to pose a threat in new Zealand.
"We need to stay alert and play our part. If you are unwell stay home, seek advice and get a test."
Bloomfield confirmed that officials may never know the source of the Auckland August cluster and said there was an ongoing risk of further cases could crop up in the community.
"Alert level 1 is not alert level none."
He recommended people wearing masks on flights and public transport even though it was no longer mandatory.
New Zealand is getting very close to the "1 million tests" milestone - the revised total of tests is 986,544 after some tests were found to be duplicates.
Report into infected health workers
A report into how many healthcare workers were infected while doing their jobs has been released - months after it was promised by the ministry.
Bloomfield said healthcare workers made up about 11% of confirmed and probable cases in the first wave of the pandemic.
From the first wave, 167 Covid-19 cases were healthcare and support workers - 96 were likely infected in the workplace, with the remainder either infected overseas or in the community. Of the healthcare workers, 62.5% worked in aged residential care.
The report showed the importance of keeping those workers safe, said Bloomfield.
Three other healthcare workers have been infected during the latest outbreak.
The Weekend Herald recently revealed one in 10 of all confirmed cases with a local source until mid-June was a healthcare worker the Health Ministry says was likely infected in their workplace.
The ministry couldn't provide data on what job those 96 were doing, whether it was in a hospital, testing site or rest home or even which region they were in and said a descriptive report was on its way.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation and E Tū want an independent investigation into how the workers contracted the virus and say it should be done by WorkSafe because it is a health and safety issue.
WorkSafe has rejected this because it doesn't investigate clinical incidents.
But Workplace Relations Minister Andrew Little said that almost 100 health staff contracted the deadly virus "was enough for WorkSafe to think about" doing a general inquiry.
"And to make sure they were doing everything they could to prevent transmission to healthcare workers. Those healthcare workers have been absolutely vital and continue to be absolutely vital - we can't have them going down sick with this virus.
"The circumstances are such that we do need some assurance that everything that could be being done, was being done."
Bloomfield said Covid-19 showed the importance of vaccinating against diseases, like measles. The Ministry of Health is running a catch-up campaign for 13 to 15-year-olds to boost immunisation rates. He said measles was eight times as contagious as Covid-19.
