Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Tauranga retirement village staff member returns negative Covid test

The Bob Owens Retirement Village. Photo / NZME

A Tauranga retirement village staff member who tested positive for Covid-19 has returned a negative PCR test.

The staff member at the Bob Owens Village care centre initially returned a positive rapid antigen test before showing up to work on Tuesday. The village is located in Bethlehem, Tauranga.

Ryman Healthcare chief operations officer Cheyne Chalmers said the staff member has been confirmed as having another virus following results from a PCR test.

"The team member has had symptoms and has since been confirmed as having another virus."

There were 39 residents and all staff in the unit where the case worked underwent rapid antigen and PCR tests on Tuesday. All rapid antigen tests for these staff and residents had come back negative.

The care centre and all other facilities in the village had also been closed in an "abundance of caution".

There are 550 residents at Bob Owens, including those in the care centre along with independent and serviced apartment living. It employs roughly 170 staff members and is operated by Ryman Healthcare.

Chalmers said from tomorrow Bob Owens would reopen all the care centre to visitors, except for the hospital unit where they are awaiting confirmation of the PCR testing result.

All other village facilities will also open up.

"Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Ryman has put the safety and wellbeing of our residents first," said Chalmers.

"With a rising number of cases in Tauranga, the precautions we put in place this week under our Covid-19 response plans reflect that commitment. We were pleased and thankful for the support of our team and our residents in taking the steps we took this week."