New Zealand has another coronavirus-related death - a man in his 60s from the Rosewood Rest Home in Christchurch. The country also has five new Covid-19 cases today - two confirmed and three probable.
An investigation is under way into the possibility Covid-19 was transmitted in a Tauranga Hospital ward.
Two staff and a patient associated with mental health services at the hospital tested positive for the virus last week, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board confirmed over the weekend.
Forty ward staffand 14 patients, along with other close contacts of the three, were being tested but, as of Wednesday afternoon, the results were not known. The Bay of Plenty Times has requested an update.
One of the positive staff members worked for Adult Mental Health and Addiction Services and had already been in isolation for two weeks before returning the positive test, following contact tracing.
The others were a worker and a patient in Te Whare Maiangiangi, the adult mental health ward, which is on the Tauranga Hospital campus but in a separate building.
An investigation is under way into whether Covid-19 was transmitted in a Tauranga Hospital ward. Photo / File
The Bay of Plenty Times asked the health board whether the virus was transmitted in the workplace, and what contact there had been between the infected people.
Bronwyn Anstis, the board's incident management team controller, said an investigation was under way that included queries of how the first staff member came into contact with Covid-19.
"The links between the cases are being investigated, including the possibility of transmission within the workplace."
She said the DHB was confident staff had done everything possible to keep themselves and others safe, and were scrupulous in following guidelines including those for personal protective equipment (PPE).
"There are sufficient supplies of PPE for staff to use."
The patient with Covid-19 was quarantined in the ward, and staff who worked with that patient were not working with other patients, she said.
The ward was closed to new admissions on Saturday. There were 14 remaining patients and 18 full-time equivalent staff rostered on per 24 hours.
Asked how many people had been tested following the staff cases, Anstis said: "All staff currently working in the inpatient unit have been tested, apart from 11 staff members who have not been physically working in the unit during the lockdown period."
Anstis said many of the measures used to prevent the spread of the virus into the wider hospital had been in place for some time, she said.
They included freeing up capacity by reducing some surgeries and appointments, phone or video consultations, reducing visitors, establishing community testing centres to keep symptomatic people away from the hospital and more.
She said the board was also working with 18 Bay of Plenty iwi, and Māori in general, to ensure good access to healthcare.
One iwi leader, however, has slammed the DHB's handling of mental health services during the lockdown.
Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley. Photo / File
Paora Stanley, chief executive of Ngāi Te Rangi, said he was concerned about how the board was overseeing the release of homeless patients.
Stanley said a man who had been a patient of the ward for three weeks was released on Friday, only to be found by police that night wandering the streets in Bethlehem.
"He was let out with nowhere to go, no healthcare plan in place. This is unheard of."
Anstis, however, said the client did have accommodation provided.
"It is understood that they left that accommodation and was found by police.
"The DHB has worked with emergency housing providers and community services to ensure suitable accommodation for people with no fixed abode to be discharged to."
A police spokeswoman said a member of the public called police at 7.30pm on Friday, because they were concerned about a person they had been talking to on Bethlehem Rd who appeared to have nowhere to stay that night.
"Police attended, spoke to the person, and arranged emergency accommodation."
Anstis said 12 patients were in the ward when the lockdown began. Twenty had been admitted since, and 23 had been discharged over the period.
In relation to the second staff member, who developed Covid-19 symptoms, three patients were discharged during the period included for contact tracing.
"All three were advised as were their whānau and they have been tested. They have also been advised to self-isolate. None have symptoms at the time of writing this."
