Two workplaces shut, workers showing Covid symptoms

Health authorities have had a re-think about people in managed isolation getting out for some...
One of the Auckland workplaces had been shut down ahead of yesterday's lockdown announcement. Photo: Getty Images
Sick workers are showing symptoms of Covid-19 but little is known of the two workplaces that have been closed after a South Auckland family tested positive for the virus.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service, the Ministry of Health and the All-of-Government response is keeping mum about which businesses have been affected by this latest outbreak.But an unnamed business with three sites across Auckland with links to the airport is now closed with one worker testing positive and several others falling ill.

Mt Albert Primary School in central Auckland has also closed for at least 72 hours while the region's public health service and Ministry of Education decide if there has been any exposure to Covid-19 at the school.

While the identity of the businesses is being kept secret the director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield revealed immediate action has been taken by health authorities.

One of the workplaces had been shut down ahead of yesterday's lockdown announcement.

This morning Health Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed work colleagues of one of the family members were also showing symptoms.

There are reports at least two colleagues are affected so far.

One News reported three of the infected man's colleagues were also symptomatic and awaiting test results.

He said it was a "relatively small" workforce that was affected by the outbreak.

Neither workplace was customer-facing, Bloomfield said yesterday.

The family at the centre of the latest community transmission outbreak is now self-quarantining and being offered managed isolation.

The four confirmed cases are in one family acquired from an unknown source. There is no link to overseas or managed isolation.

An Auckland man in his 50s was tested on Monday after having symptoms. He had no history of overseas travel and was tested a second time yesterday. Both tests were positive.

Six other people were in his family, and three in the household have tested positive. The other three tested negative.

At least one of those linked to the family is a child who attends Mt Albert Primary School.

The school is shut and in a letter from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service parents were told a child at the school had been tested and they were awaiting results.

It warned parents to watch for signs of sickness in their children over the next 14 days and seek medical help immediately.