Community case of Covid-19 discovered in Whanganui

A case of Covid-19 has been discovered in Whanganui. Photo / NZME

A case of Covid-19 has been discovered in Whanganui - the first of the Delta outbreak.

According to Whanganui DHB acting chief executive Graham Dyer, the case was discovered in the city on Saturday.

"It's very early at this stage, but interviews are under way to determine if there are any locations of interest in the region," Dyer said.

A DHB spokesperson, the case is currently isolating at a DHB-operated facility in Whanganui.

"Public Health are currently undertaking a health assessment and starting the contact tracing process, they currently see the risk as low," the spokesperson said.

"This person has recently travelled out of the region, has been compliant with all Covid-19 tracing requirements and is cooperating with Public Health"

The DHB says they are expecting a jump in demand for testing tomorrow, and is encouraging anyone with symptoms to present for testing.

The city's main testing facility at Whanganui Hospital will be open from 8am-3pm on Sunday.

We cannot stress enough, we have planned and prepared for this. We are ready and set up to be working through the situation."

"There is no need for panic. It's time to reach out to your whanau and friends, check in with your support networks and remember the basic things you can do to protect your whanau and yourself."

Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall said the discovery of a case in the region was an inevitability.

"It's disappointing to have happened now, I was hoping that we would stay clear until Christmas, but this is the reality of the situation," the mayor said.

"My key message to everyone is to take personal responsibility. Go and get vaccinated, and if you've got symptoms, go and get tested."

The case is the first in Whanganui since the original outbreak of Covid-19 at the beginning of 2020.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Whanganui DHB area, which also includes most of the Ruapehu and Rangitīkei districts, has had just nine cases of the virus - all in March and April last year.

Currently, the Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei districts are at the red level of the traffic light system.

Just 80 per cent of the DHB's population are fully vaccinated, while 88 per cent have had at least one dose.

The region has had a number of close shaves with the virus since the beginning of the Delta outbreak, including a confirmed case visiting a Bulls petrol station in August.

In September, a truck driver with Covid-19 also visited a number of spots along State Highway 1 in Rangitīkei, en route to Palmerston North.

More to come.