Covid 19 coronavirus: 14 more cases linked to Bluff wedding

The number of Covid-19 cases linked to a wedding held in Bluff has skyrocketed to 22 with 14 new cases announced today.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health revealed the cluster for the first time, saying there eight cases connected to the wedding, understood to be held at Oyster Cove.

The Ministry of Health describes a cluster as a group of Covid-19 cases that are linked together because they've been in the same place together.

It is unclear how many of the cases linked to the wedding are in the South, but the Otago Daily Times understands the wedding was attended by out-of-towners.

Given there were only ten new cases in the Southern District Health Board area announced today, it appears at least some of the cases connected to the wedding were for people outside the South.

Bluff Community Board chairman Ray Fife told the Otago Daily Times he believed guests at the function were not locals.

"Most of the staff that worked at that function were local people. Most were young people."

It is understood the wedding was held at Oyster Cove.

On its website Oyster Cove says it has "stunning panoramic views over the Southern Ocean" which are "bound to make your function a special occasion".

The number of cases within most Covid-19 clusters around the country have risen in the past 24 hours.

There are now 50 cases of Covid-19 linked to Auckland's Marist College, according to the Ministry of Health's website, with two new cases in the past 24 hours.

The number of cases connected to the Redoubt bar in Matamata has risen to 37.

Twenty-seven people who attended the World Hereford Conference in Queenstown have now tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of three.

The number of clusters on the Ministry of Health's website has now dropped from 14 to 7.

It says it is now classifying clusters as having more than 10 cases.

- Additional reporting: RNZ

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

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