Coronavirus confirmed case: Softball World Cup staff shared flight with patient

Key points:

• Second case of coronavirus confirmed by testing last night.
• Kiwi woman returned to Auckland from holiday in northern Italy via Singapore on February 25. She was on flight NZ0283.
• She then travelled to Palmerston North on March 2 on flight NZ5013 and returned to Auckland on the same day on flight NZ8114.
• Westlake Boys' and Westlake Girls' High School notified because two of the woman's family have gone to school.
• The woman is in self-isolation at home. Her partner is also showing symptoms and is in isolation.
• School-aged family members not showing symptoms and are in isolation at home.
• Everyone on those flights is being contacted but they can also contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

Softball World Cup staff shared a domestic flight with a female traveller infected with coronavirus.

The under-18 men's softball World Cup was held in Palmerston North and two Kiwi tournament representatives were on a flight from the city to Auckland on March 2.

The female traveller was confirmed last night as the second person in New Zealand to have contracted coronavirus.

She was infected in north Italy and is now in isolation at home, along with her partner who is also unwell.

Softball NZ confirmed today that two New Zealanders involved with the men's Under-18 World Cup were on a flight with the woman.

The two officials are not showing any symptoms, did not feel unwell and had registered with the Ministry of Health's coronavirus helpline.

The pair had been told they did not need to self-isolate at this time.

They learned they were on the affected flight while they were officiating a softball tournament in Whenuapai involving police and the military.

"They left the base when told that a person with coronavirus had been on their Air NZ flight," Softball NZ said.

None of the teams, including those which were from overseas, were on the flight.

CovidFAQ

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield confirmed today that the woman, aged in her 30s, is the second confirmed case of Covid-19 in New Zealand.

Her partner, who also travelled to northern Italy, has been feeling sick and his test results are due later today.

Bloomfield stressed that the chances of a widespread community outbreak remained low and there was a "very low" chance that the woman had infected anyone outside of people she has been in close contact with.

The family, including two high school children who have not shown any symptoms, are now self-isolated in their home.

Their high schools - Westlake Boys and Westlake Girls high schools - have been alerted but are not closed, and Bloomfield noted World Health Organisation advice that those without symptoms are not infectious.

Her movements include flights from Auckland in and out of Palmerston North, and visits to two medical centres where she sought treatment after starting to feel unwell.

Close contact is defined as people in the same row as them on their flights, or two rows in front or behind them, or anyone who was within one metre of them for at least 15 minutes.

The Herald understands the woman travelled to Palmerston North for work but returned to Auckland after becoming too ill.

Bloomfield said everyone on these flights was being contacted. Anyone on those flights can also contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 and would be told if they were sitting close to her.

He would not say how many people have been identified as potentially being in close contact with the woman or her partner, but the number of their close family and friends was "small".

He said between 30 and 40 people might have been in close contact with her on her flights in and out of Palmerston North, if the plane was full.

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