There are nine new cases of Covid-19 today - one in the "marine engineer cluster" and eight in managed isolation.
Auckland's new community cluster has businesses scrambling as they discover links to our latest Covid-19 cases. Here's how the virus has hit Auckland's workplaces. Luke Kirkness reports.
The marine employee cluster has increased to include three other positive cases and has businesses throughout Auckland scrambling after being alerted to links to new infections.
A marine engineer is thought to have caught Covid-19 while working on a foreign vessel before passing it onto two colleagues.
There were nine new cases of the virus in New Zealand yesterday, one a household contact connected to the cluster.
The business' project manager was contacted by health officials on Wednesday night and told a supplier who visited the premises had since tested positive.
Sensation Yachts' Australian-based owner Robert McVicker says the supplier visited The Concourse in Henderson last Friday.
McVicker confirmed the supplier, who spoke to the project manager about installing electronics on a vessel, was from Albany-based Wright Technologies.
The project manager, the only one to come into close contact with the supplier, was told he needed to self-isolate and get a test - which came back negative.
The gym's general manager Brendan Hurrell says the person attended a boot camp on Browns Bay Beach before spending an hour at the gym last Saturday.
The Snap Fitness gym in Browns Bay is closed. Photo / Supplied
The 10 people who were at the boot camp, including the club's manager and a personal trainer, were classified as close contacts and had to self isolate for 14 days.
Those who were at the gym between 10.30am and midnight were classed as casual contacts and were asked to get a test and then self-isolate at home until a negative result was returned.
"We were advised that the person had no symptoms at the time, their visits were brief and there was no interaction with any other customers and their interactions with the staff were very limited," she said.
"No person who was in the store at the time or has visited since is considered at risk nor deemed to be a close contact."
The bank spokesman said the non-customer facing employee contracted it from a close contact.
"As soon as they became aware a member of their household had contact with a Covid-19 case, the employee self-isolated.
"The self-isolation started last Friday evening and official advice is that the staff member would not have become infectious until Tuesday of this week."
However, the spokesman said, as a precaution, the bank was deep cleaning the workspace and floor where the staff member worked.
Marine engineer a "hero"
He was the 1530th case of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand.
Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles called him a "hero" who had followed the strict precautions that came with a job considered to be high-risk for Covid-19.
"Importantly, he immediately got tested and went into isolation. This will have limited the time he was in contact with others in the community while infectious," she said.
Chris Kendall gets tested for Covid-19 at a pop-up testing centre in Greenhithe. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
"I'd like to thank the worker for getting tested so fast, as this will have limited the risk of the virus spreading any further."
Otago University epidemiologist Michael Baker said the case could have otherwise led to a much larger outbreak.
Yesterday, director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there would be an intensive push during the next 72 hours to encourage New Zealanders to use the app.
"The more we scan, the safer we'll be," Bloomfield said.
Bloomfield's comments reflected the lax attitude of some after it emerged that many patrons at The Malt did not sign in.
It followed warnings from health experts about public complacency when the country moved to alert level 1.
Nine new cases yesterday
There were nine new cases of Covid-19 yesterday - one in the marine engineer cluster and eight in managed isolation.
Seven of the cases in managed isolation are among the fishing crew in Christchurch, the other person arrived from Iran.
The other new case was a close contact of the marine engineer who is believed to have tested positive while working on a ship that arrived in New Zealand from overseas.
The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 66.
No need to change the alert level ... yet
The Ministry of Health isn't recommending a change to the alert level at this stage.
However, director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said on Thursday the Government was interested in whether there were any indications it should do so.
Bloomfield did warn people would need to remain diligent, especially at hospitality venues.
That meant always washing hands, using good cough and sneeze etiquette, staying away from gatherings, and not going on holiday if you are unwell.
He also encouraged people to continue using masks on public transport, saying they shouldn't be embarrassed.
