An epidemiologist says he would "intensify advice" for Tauranga people to get tested if it is announced today more Covid-19 traces have been found in the city's wastewater.
A "low-level" detection of Covid-19 was found in a wastewater sample taken on Thursday in Tauranga. Results from further wastewater samples are expected today. University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker said if there was another positive test result, "you'd be doing a lot more work to get people tested in Tauranga".
"Given the transmission in Auckland, I think people in Tauranga should be on the alert for potential transmission in the community. Hopefully everybody is coming forward and getting tested in large numbers."
University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker. Photo / Supplied
In the 1pm briefing yesterday, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the positive wastewater test result was received "late on Monday" and the usual protocol was to "do a repeat test before we do anything". Four hundred people had been tested in the Tauranga area after the positive wastewater test was announced on Tuesday.
Bloomfield urged Tauranga residents and those in the wider motu to be vaccinated.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said it was "incorrect" to say it took five days for the result to be announced.
The ministry received regular reports from ESR with results of its wastewater testing, the spokesperson said.
"While the sample was received on Friday, the detection in Tauranga was included in ESR's report, which [was] received on Monday evening.
"The result was reported within two working days of the sample being received by ESR. This included time for repeat analysis of the samples due to the low levels of the virus initially detected."
The spokesperson said unexpected wastewater results could be from a recovered case that was "excreting viral fragments," or an undetected acute case.
"Our usual protocol is to wait for a second test result before taking any further action."
ESR scientists worked "around the clock" to provide wastewater and PCR testing results in an accurate and timely way, while also continuing to provide laboratory services for other test results, the spokesperson said.
In this case, and given the Delta outbreak in Auckland, the ministry was asking people in the greater Tauranga area and Mount Maunganui to get a test if they had symptoms or had been at a location of interest in Tauranga, Waikato or Auckland, the spokesperson said.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / NZME
The Ministry of Health was asked how many people were released from a quarantine facility and travelled to Tauranga between September 9 and 23.
A spokesperson said "nothing in the data" indicated that anyone left MIQ and went to Tauranga during that time.
Fifth Avenue Medical Centre GP Dr Luke Bradford said yesterday there had "definitely been an increased demand" for testing after the announcement.
"Most of the clinics put on extra capacity," he said.
"We certainly did at Fifth Avenue, and we slowly filled that capacity throughout the day, but it's nowhere near the demand we were seeing at the start of the Delta outbreak."
Fifth Avenue Medical Centre GP Dr Luke Bradford. Photo / George Novak
Second Ave Accident and HealthCare manager Dave Gilbert said he had not noticed "any major increases" in testing.
"It's still been busy but it certainly hasn't increased dramatically."
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board's Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said additional testing capacity had been made available at GP practices in the Greater Tauranga area.
"At present, there has not been any significant increase in testing demand. GP practices will extend testing hours, depending on demand."
The DHB continued to manage testing capacity across the region and additional capacity could be stood up immediately, depending on demand, he said.
