Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Locations of interests in the Northland cases revealed

Kaikohe, in the Mid North, has been linked to the region's latest Covid cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Friday.

Three days after Northland exited a shock snap lockdown another bombshell was dropped with news of two positive Covid-19 cases and a possible third, all in Northland.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday revealed two people were isolating near Kaikohe after testing positive for the virus on Wednesday, October 20.

One of the individuals - a mother - wrote a Facebook post to explain how she travelled to Auckland on October 16 to bring her daughter home after the school holidays.

She said they had a travel exemption and she had received a negative Covid test in the three days prior.

While in Auckland she returned a second negative Covid test so she was able to return to the Kaikohe area.

Two Covid cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health to be isolating near Kaikohe, in the Mid North. Photo / Tania Whyte

"I picked up my daughter and mokos to bring them home, they too had their test - negative," she said.

"With all our results and proof of residence we came home."

Then on October 19, the woman received a call to inform her an Auckland family member, who her daughter had been in contact with, had tested positive.

"...so we isolated straight away and went for testing," she said.

"This is a hard time for my family, and would appreciate some understanding. But it is the most important to me to let our community know so that no one else is treated like a suspect!"

"We have done everything required and shared all our COVID tracing app details with the ministry of health."

It's understood the woman had received her first Covid vaccination but her daughter had not had any.

The Ministry confirmed the woman and her daughter were in no way linked to the earlier cases who visited Northland.

An investigation was under way to identify a "limited number" of close contacts, who were being instructed to isolate and undergo immediate testing.

The ministry was carrying out interviews to determine locations of interest connected to the cases.

Last night three Northland locations of interest were released — the Mobil petrol station, Countdown in Kaikohe and GAS in Kaihu, Dargaville.

It's believed six locations of interest are involved because the pair reportedly visited Ōpononi and Whangārei.

Northland District Health Board information released by the Ngāti Hine Health Trust indicated a third possible case in Parua Bay, Whangārei Heads.

It's understood the case may be a family member of a Parua Bay Tavern employee.

A post on the tavern's Facebook page said it had received news that a family member of one of the staff had tested positive for the virus.

The Parua Bay Tavern was closed on Friday while staff isolated and underwent Covid tests. Photo / Tania Whyte

The owners said they were following ministry guidelines and had taken the precautionary measure of closing while staff isolated and underwent testing.

"I'm sorry I can't give any more information at this time until we get our results. Thanks for all of your amazing support," the post read.

It also added that the Covid positive person was no longer in Whangārei.

The tavern had not been added as a location of interest on the ministry website at publication time.

The confirmed cases in Northland came as a surprise as they were left off the ministry's 1pm statement, which said all 129 new cases were in Auckland (120) and Waikato (nine).

However, the ministry said this was because the cases' test results were received outside the daily reporting period.

The first concern of National Party deputy leader and Whangārei-based MP Dr Shane Reti about the cases was the 48 hours it took to confirm they were positive after they were first tested.

Reti said this was the second time, recently, Northland had been exposed to Covid because of travel permitted from Auckland.

''What we need on that border is rapid antigen testing that gives a quick result, but I've not seen those tests being used in Northland. The border is not safe and there should be rapid testing, or saliva testing, on people crossing it.''

He also had concerns about the women self-isolating instead of being transported to Auckland to quarantine because "home isolation hasn't always been adhered to".

Reti said any home isolation cases have to be properly monitored and checked on to ensure people didn't leave and put Northland's vulnerable populations at risk.

More information was needed before he'd comment on the decision to keep Northland at alert level 2.

''I'm a naturally cautious person. We need to know how many close contacts there are and locations of interest.

''Northland has some very vulnerable populations, many around that Mid North area, and there have been concerns from Māori leaders in Northland about that return to level 2 [on Tuesday].''

Reti said it was important people got tested and vaccinated to help prevent the spread of the virus.

That call was supported by Far North mayor John Carter, who said there was no need to panic over the cases because the pair involved were being "hugely co-operative" with the authorities.

''And we are incredibly grateful for that. This was inevitable that we'd get cases [in Northland] and I'd urge everybody to get tested and vaccinated.

''Vaccination is the only thing that will stop this and it's important that we all do our bit and get vaccinated if we can. That's the safest thing to do," Carter said.

''It's important now that we work together, as a team as Northlanders and as a nation, to get tested and vaccinated.''

It's understood a family member of a worker at the Parua Bay Tavern, in Whangārei Heads, returned a positive test. Photo / Tania Whyte

Ngāti Hine Health Trust chief executive Geoff Milner reiterated the urgency for Māori to get vaccinated.

"We've had the calm before the storm, the door has now opened - and it's here. Ngāti Hine Health Trust will be working hard to play its part, but we need everybody on board to minimise the hits ... it's not too late for our whānau to get vaccinated now."

Friday's confirmed cases came as Northlanders were still grappling with the aftermath of the first snap lockdown on Friday, October 8.

It came after two female travellers crossed the border from Auckland, allegedly using falsified documents, and toured the region. One of the women returned a positive Covid test while in Whangārei.

Available testing sites this long weekend:
Far North -
Kaitāia: Kaitāia Hospital, 29 Redan Rd - Saturday to Monday, 9am to 4pm

Mid-North -
Kerikeri: 1 Sammaree Place - Saturday to Monday, 9am to 4pm
Ōhaeawai: Ōhaeawai Rugby Clubrooms - Saturday, 9am to 5pm

Whangārei -
Kamo: 20 Winger Cres - Saturday to Monday, 9am to 4pm

Kaipara -
Dargaville: Dargaville Hospital, at the underpass across from the main entrance to the hospital - Saturday to Monday, 10am to 3pm