Covid testing in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board region hit 1000 in three days. Photo / NZME
More than 1000 people were tested for Covid-19 in the Bay of Plenty in three days after locations of interest were announced in Tauranga.
From Thursday to Saturday, a total of 1190 people were tested in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area, according to the Ministry of Health.
There were 322 tests on Thursday and 362 on Friday.
This followed the news on Wednesday evening that Uppercrust Bakery in Mount Maunganui and BP Tauriko were locations of interest.
On Wednesday, there were 374 tests done.
On Saturday morning, Z Central Parade in Mount Maunganui was said to be a location of interest.
That same day 506 community tests were done.
There are now three locations of interest in Tauranga after a truck driver from Auckland who later tested positive visited several locations in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Data for Sunday was not yet available, a Ministry of Health spokesman said.
He said the data may be skewed because it counted anyone whose National Health Index number was in the health board's region, even if it had not been updated.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said on Friday it constantly monitored testing capacity and could pop up more community-based testing if needed.
Testing can be done at a range of selected services including GPs and pharmacies, all of which can be found on Health Point.
There are 22 testing sites in Tauranga, seven in Mount Maunganui, and seven in Pāpāmoa.
The temporary alcohol-free area was first introduced in December 2018.