Third MIQ escapee in two days is family member of confirmed cases

The person escaped from the Holiday Inn facility near Auckland Airport this morning. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Another person has escaped from an Auckland MIQ facility, and is a close contact with family members who have the virus.

Managed Isolation and Quarantine associate deputy secretary Andrew Milne said the person escaped from the Holiday Inn facility near Auckland Airport this morning, but they were caught by police soon after and returned to the hotel.

He said the person had not tested positive for the virus, but their family members had and they were considered a close contact.

The family arrived at the facility yesterday.

On Friday two people escaped from MIQ facilities, including one from the same Holiday Inn as today's escape.

In that case the person fled from the entrance to the facility, but was caught within five minutes.

The other was a person who had removed a section of fencing at the Amohia Community Isolation Quarantine facility, then got into a waiting car. The car was stopped by police soon afterward.