The number of Covid cases in Queenstown has ballooned to somewhere between 30 and 40.
The Otago Daily Times understands the number of cases has escalated after the virus surfaced in the resort last week.
It comes after a raft of locations of interest in the South - mostly in Queenstown - were announced over the weekend.
As at midday today there had been no new locations of interest in the South on the Ministry of Health website.
Yesterday the ministry said there were 14 active cases in the SDHB area.
News of the increase comes as a local business owner warns that Covid-19 isolation and staff stand-down rules will cause an inferno of disruption across the hospitality sector and the country.
Hospitality business owners were facing major costs and getting no financial support while carrying a burden for public health, Republic Hospitality Group chief executive Blair Impey said.
"This approach will spark an inferno across the work and social life of our nation — it's going to be mayhem," Impey said.
On Saturday, nine of his 11 businesses in the group were shut.
Hawke's Bay hosts Christmas lunches for those seeking company and support.