A visit to Northland has led to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern isolating after being exposed to a person with Omicron on a flight from Kerikeri to Auckland.
A visit to Northland has led to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern isolating after being exposed to a person with Omicron on a flight from Kerikeri to Auckland.
A secret visit to Northland has seen Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro isolating after a flight attendant on a flight from Kerikeri they were on tested positive for Omicron.
The news comes as Northland health officials are treating five Covid 19 cases from over the weekend as if they have Omicron.
Northland District Health Board (NDHB) said one case is in Kerikeri and three are in Whangārei and all cases are isolating at home. Two cases are linked to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton.
The fifth case is a visitor from Auckland and is in self-isolation in Whangārei. Whole genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, Northland public health staff are treating them as if they are Omicron.
Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, who is from Whangārei, is isolating after being exposed to an Omicron carrier on a flight from Kerikeri last weekend.
Ardern and Kiro, who is from Whangārei, were on an unannounced visit to the Bay of Islands on Saturday, January 22, when they were exposed to the case on the flight.
The pair had been at Waitangi since the previous day recording items for the virtual Waitangi Day commemorations being aired on Waitangi Day by the Waitangi National Trust as the official commemorations in the Bay of Islands have been canned, ironically due to concerns over the potential spread of Omicron.
The pair have been deemed a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case, and have entered self-isolation in line with Ministry of Health advice.
A statement from the PM's office on Sunday afternoon said:
"The Prime Minister has undertaken a PCR test this morning as per MoH requirements. She remains asymptomatic and continues to feel well. Results are expected to be received later today/tomorrow."
The exposure event took place on January 22 during flight NZ8273 from Kerikeri to Auckland. Flight NZ8273 has been added to the Ministry of Health website as a location of interest.
Whole genome sequencing for the case has been requested with an expected result Sunday evening.
The result is expected to indicate the case has been infected with the Omicron variant and the public health response reflects this, the Ministry of Health said.
All other passengers on board NZ8273 are also deemed close contacts and are required to self-isolate, get tested immediately and remain in isolation for 10 days following their exposure.
They will also need to follow further isolation and testing requirements provided by public health officials. They can record their exposure online or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 so contact tracers can get in touch. People who have been in contact with close contacts are not required to take any action.
The Prime Minister is asymptomatic and is feeling well. In line with Ministry of Health advice she will isolate until Tuesday.
The Governor-General and members of her staff were also on board and are following the same isolation instructions.
Meanwhile, NDHB is still waiting for the genome sequencing result for the Kaeo exposure event at Wainui Marae.
The DHB said it's important for people to be aware of the importance of wearing masks along with the usual public health measures.
Catching a flight from Bay of Islands Airport, at Kerikeri, above, has landed Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern and Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro in isolation after a flight attendant had Covid
There are currently 18 active Northland cases, and the total number of confirmed cases is 128, with no Covid-19 cases currently in hospital in Northland.
There were a number of new Northland Locations of Interest notified over the weekend. The first tranche are the Fruit and Vege Warehouse Whangārei, on Wednesday, January 26, from 4.54 pm - 5pm; The Warehouse Whangārei on Monday, January 24 from 1.42pm - 2.30pm; Michael Hill Jewellers Whangārei, on Monday, January 24 from 12.16 pm - 12.30 pm; and Burger Fiasko Kerikeri, on Thursday, January 27 from 3.30 pm - 4pm.
The second tranche are New World Kerikeri, on Wednesday, January 26 from 12pm - 10pm; Flight NZ8269 Kerikeri to Auckland - Sunday January 23, - 3pm - 3.50pm; Flight NZ8274 Auckland to Kerikeri - Saturday, January 22, 11am - 11.50 am; Flight NZ8273 Kerikeri to Auckland - Saturday, January 22, 12.15 pm - 1pm and Flight NZ8268 Auckland to Kerikeri - Saturday January 22, 1.50 pm - 2.40 pm.
The four ANZ flight locations are classified as Close Contacts and the advice is to self-isolate, and test immediately. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health. People on those flights are asked to record their visit online or call Healthline so the contact tracers can get in touch.
There has been positive wastewater detections in a number of Northland locations. Covid-19 was detected in samples taken on January 26 and 27 from Kerikeri, Paihia and Rawene, and there was also continued detection in samples taken over the same days from Ahipara.
■ The virtual Waitangi Day 2022 programme will air on TV3 from 7-10am on February 6 with an interview and address to the nation by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro from 4.30-5pm.
In December the Waitangi National Trust cancelled its planned 2022 Waitangi Day festivities and this week decided to close the Treaty Grounds entirely on February 6, due to the 100-person gathering limit in the red traffic light setting and concerns about the spread of Omicron. The annual commemorations normally attract more than 30,000 people.
