Woman scaled two fences to escape managed isolation; Govt says no failure of process

The 43-year-old woman, who has tested negative for Covid-19, has been recaptured and now faces a six month jail term or a $4000 fine if she is charged.

A woman who scaled two fences to escape from managed isolation facility last night has been charged.

The 43-year-old fled on foot from the Pullman Hotel shortly before 6.20pm on Saturday.

The escaped woman was located a couple of blocks away by police on Anzac Ave at 8pm yesterday.

Police said in a statement last night she was medically assessed while in police custody and was deemed fit to return to managed isolation.

She is now facing a charge breach of section 26(1) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and has been summonsed to appear before the Auckland District Court as soon as her managed isolation is finished.

One of the five officers who dealt with the woman, who has tested negative, is in self-isolation pending the result of a Covid test.

PM on borders

PM Jacinda Ardern on Newstalk ZB this morning said the notion that "we should simply open" our borders was dangerous.

The world was in a more dangerous place with regard to Covid-19 than it was when the borders were closed, she said.

When asked about the possibility of a transtasman bubble opening in September - as suggested by Australia - she said she had been careful never to put a time on it.

She said NZ was in a good place in terms of Covid-19 but Australia needed to make some calls in regards to its own state-by-state travel.

She said it was possible we would eventually open borders to some Australian states but not others.

A Pacific Island travel bubble needed approval from all countries concerned, she said.

Listen to Newstalk ZB:

Ardern said of Labour's five-point economic plan - announced as this year's election campaign gets under way - that jobs were a priority for the Government.

She said Labour was "a party of work". The wage subsidy would not be extended but other options were available.

No failure: Woods

Cabinet Minister Megan Woods, who has ministerial oversight of the quarantine and managed isolation facilities, said the woman had been in a common outside area that was fenced off.

"My understanding is there was some temporary low fencing indicating a closed space with a permanent fence about 1.82m high behind that," Woods told the Herald.

There had been no failure of Government procedures, she said.

Cabinet Minister Megan Woods and Air Commodore Darryn Webb are in charge of the quarantine and managed isolation process. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"We are not setting up patrolled perimeters here ... This was a hotel. This is a clearly marked area where it's a given you shouldn't be leaving.

"We're not putting up unclimbable walls at these hotels. We're asking those rejoining the team of five million to follow the rules."

She said people in the facilities should play their part.

"We didn't all have a policeman or a member of the NZ Defence Force outside our front doors during the five weeks we made our sacrifices."

She said the fact that the woman was captured within two hours of leaving showed that the proper processes were in place.

"She didn't simply wander out the door ... It is not easy to leave these facilities. Walls have to be climbed."

The woman remains in police custody while it is determined how she will be managed.

The five police officers who came into contact with the woman while capturing her will now be tested for Covid-19 and will also have to self-isolate.

Charges are being considered.

The Government's head of managed isolation, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, praised the "excellent work by police staff who located the woman as quickly as possible".

"She was located outdoors. The exact movements of the woman are still being determined."

Webb said the woman was receiving appropriate care while in custody and would be assessed by a clinician.

"The woman, who was travelling on her own, arrived in New Zealand from Brisbane, Australia, on 27 June," Webb said in a statement.

"She had a Covid-19 test on 30 June which returned a negative result.

"We recognise that managed isolation can be stressful for people who come to it with a variety of circumstances. However, wilfully leaving our facilities cannot and will not be tolerated, and the appropriate action will be taken."

Every person who arrives in New Zealand is placed in quarantine or managed isolation for a minimum period of 14 days, with testing on day three and on day 12.

They must test negative for Covid-19 before they can go into the community.