Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Mitre 10 awards dinner attendees close contacts after bar worker tests positive, host Hilary Barry one of 1000 contacts isolating

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More than 2000 people who attended two corporate functions at Spark Arena have been told they're close contacts after a bar worker tested positive for Covid-19.

The first event was hosted by Seven Sharp presenter Hilary Barry, who left TVNZ "in a hurry" today after being told of the Covid case.

The Mitre 10 2021 Awards ceremony at Spark Arena in downtown Auckland on Thursday last week was attended by close to 1000 people from across New Zealand.

Mitre 10 says they understand that people who attended will be concerned.

"We have notified attendees that they have been at a location of interest and advised them of the actions they and their households need to take regarding self-isolation and testing. The country was at Level 1 at the time of the event and appropriate protocols were in place, including QR codes and contract tracing capability."

Seven Sharp host Jeremy Wells crossed to Barry at her home tonight and she said that like about 1000 others at the event she was now required to get tested and go into self-isolation.

She said she felt "fine . . . a box of birds".

She needs to record several negative tests from 14 days from her time of exposure before she is allowed back to work.

Prior to Barry's brief appearance on Seven Sharp, Wells had told viewers that he was flying solo as Barry had "to leave in a hurry".

A screenshot of a message sent to award attendees has been given to the Herald.

"Dear awards dinner attendee", the message begins.

"We have been informed by Uno Loco, organisers of the Mitre 10 awards dinner, that one of the bar staff working at the event last Thursday, August 12, has tested positive for Covid-19.

"As an attendee at the event, you are deemed a close contact", the message says, before explaining the Ministry of Health guidelines for what to do next, including self-isolating at home for 14 days from the date of exposure.

The message sent to attendees of the awards. Image / Supplied

The awards took place from 6pm till midnight and the Herald understands a crowd of almost 1000 people attended.

The second event was at the same venue 24 hours later, an awards dinner for Bayleys real estate. A crowd of about 1100 was there.

Attendees came from around the country. The event was MC-ed by Jeremy Corbett who was missing from his usual spot on The Project as he also had to self-isolate.

A message to staff said: "We have just been informed by the Ministry of Health that a confirmed case of COVID-19 was present at the Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday 13th August for a 12 hour period from 10am and 10pm. Spark Arena has therefore been identified as a Location of Interest in the current COVID-19 outbreak. If you scanned into the event, you will have been alerted to this also.

"All attendees at the Bayleys awards dinner have been identified as present at the Spark Arena during the time of interest. This means that you are a considered to be a Close Contact."

The close contacts have been told to self-isolate and be tested.

"Further information will be shared as soon as we receive it. Thank you for your support in keeping yourselves, your families and our communities safe."

The Ministry of Health is being contacted.

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