The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is urging Tauranga Hospital visitors to exercise "extreme caution" after four patients contracted Covid during their stay.
Bay households are also being urged to prepare for self-isolation as Covid-19 case numbers soar and continue to put pressure on hospitals.
Yesterday there were 1270
new cases in the health board's region and
415 new cases in the Lakes DHB region, with 22,152 nationally.
Among a record 405 cases in hospitals nationwide were 10 cases in Tauranga Hospital, two in Whakatāne Hospital and five in Rotorua Hospital. The average age of those in hospital was 52 and there were 123,836 active cases in New Zealand. Lakes had 1912 and the Bay 6063.
Last week, a Covid-19 exposure event was identified at Tauranga hospital's Orthopaedic Ward involving 68 people. At the time, two patients had tested positive.
The board's Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said four people have been admitted to the hospital with other health conditions and contracted Covid in the ward.
Richardson said this was "not unexpected given the number of cases in our community".
Although it was "impossible" to remove the risk completely, it could be reduced by wearing a mask on-site, social distancing and by isolating Covid-affected patients, he said.
The board was reviewing its visitor policy and appealed to the community to demonstrate "extreme caution" around visiting, he said. All new admissions would be tested.
Richardson said a patient had been in hospital during the possible incubation period and the board, therefore, knew the transmission happened on the ward.
The exact dates of transmission could not be confirmed, but were approximately Monday to Thursday last week.
"As a result, the entire ward of patients and staff were tested and no staff were found to be positive."
"We know of several events where visitors have been on-site while infectious with Covid and either only found out after or did not disclose this information."
The board wanted patients to keep having visitors and recognised the wellbeing benefits of this.
"However we must balance this with the risk that visitors present to inpatients, staff, and others."
Richardson said visitors should not see inpatients if they were unwell or had been in contact with anyone with Covid in the last ten days.
"Visitors [must] wear a mask on the hospital grounds at all times. If they are likely to struggle with this, and the visit is essential, we ask that they contact the ward staff by phone before they visit."
At phase 3 of the Omicron response, most people are expected to be able to self-manage and isolate at home as clinical care is focused on anyone with high needs.
Only confirmed cases and household contacts have to isolate.
If you live with someone who tests positive, you must isolate for 10 days and get tested on day three and day 10. If you develop symptoms, get a test sooner.
Te Arawa Covid Response Hub chairman Monty Morrison said locals need to be ready for Covid to "literally arrive on their own doorsteps".
"Please do not delay in getting ready for this. The time is now."
Morrison said getting vaccinated was still the most important thing people can do, but making practical whānau plans to be able to self-isolate at home could help ease the stress and anxiety if someone in their whare tests positive.
"It's critical that people think about this now, so they have plans in place for how they will get through this as a whānau, hapū and community."
Poutiri Trust general manager Kirsty Maxwell-Crawford said it was helping families self-isolating in Te Puke and its surrounding areas alongside two other food providers.
"We know that this has been coming for a while but we still have a number of families who may not have enough to last for at least 10 days.
"We're making sure that families who are self-isolating have access to food."
The Te Puke-based trust was also picking up medication from the chemist for families.
"It's pretty busy at the moment. It's definitely increased really significantly over the last week.
"We've got a team of shoppers, a team of deliverers and we've got a dedicated staff member who's looking after our Facebook messages and texts and another one who's looking after the phone requests."
She said it was important to prepare for self-isolation to "relieve the stress" of what could be a positive Covid case in households over the coming weeks.
"We know that Omicron spreads really quickly. We're also seeing that in the Bay of Plenty."
She advised to make sure people had plenty of "the basics" such as pet food and "staples that your family like to eat".
Morrison said the best things people could do to prepare was:
1. Write down the names and contact details of those most vulnerable and who will be checking in on them
2. Shop for kai, re-supply prescription medicines, and buy any other essential items your whānau needs
3. Prepare an isolation space in your home– it should include a separate bedroom and bathroom, with windows that open to ensure good air ventilation
4. Make your personal space safe by following the standard advice – use the Covid Tracer app, wear a mask, regularly wash and sanitise your hands, keep social distance and limit your time indoors with others.
Key Government self-isolation tips:
• Make a plan with your whānau if you need to isolate
• Set up a support network
• Make sure you have basic medical supplies like pain relief, a thermometer and your regular medications to help manage your symptoms
• Plan for who can safely deliver essential supplies —like food and groceries, if you have to isolate.
• Tissues
•Soap
• Sanitiser
• Masks
• Cleaning products and gloves
• Rubbish bags
• Paracetamol and/or ibuprofen
• Drinks and other medications that help with cold and flu-like symptoms such as lemon tea with honey, or cough syrup
Source: New Zealand Government. A full checklist for preparing to self-isolate can be found on the Government's website.
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