Covid 19 coronavirus: One new case in managed isolation

Director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay yesterday issued a plea to those wanting to fly into New Zealand, after it was revealed 10 people with Covid-19 were on the same flight from India. Photo / Mark Mitchell

There is one new case of Covid-19 in managed isolation, health officials say

There are no new community cases to report.

The person who has tested positive arrived in New Zealand on 1 October from England via Hong Kong. They have been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.

The total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began is 1,493.

Three previously reported cases are now considered to have recovered, bringing our total number of active cases to 41.

Of those, 33 are imported cases in managed isolation facilities, and eight are community cases.

There is no-one in hospital with Covid-19 in New Zealand today.

Yesterday New Zealand laboratories processed 5,728 tests, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 976,369.

The ministry made a plea for vigilance as school holidays continued and early voting started.

People should scan into their voting places with the NZ Covid Tracer app, use the provided hand sanitiser before going in and out of the voting place, bring their own pen to mark the voting paper, and keep social distance from strangers in the voting place, "even at alert level 1".

The ministry was working with DHBs to reinforce safety messages over the school holidays.

Those included:

• If you become unwell while on holiday, call Heathline, your GP, or Nurse Practitioner who can advise whether you should be tested. If you're advised to get a test, please do so; don't wait until you get home to get tested.
• Continue to use the Covid Tracer app or keep a record of where you've been.
• Maintain good hygiene practices, including washing and drying your hands, or use hand sanitiser if unable to wash your hands.
• A reminder that level 2 in Auckland still required mask-wearing on public transport, while it was encouraged on public transport outside Auckland. Use hand sanitiser regularly, especially when entering and exiting public transport.
• When flying to, through or from Auckland, it's mandatory to wear a mask. It's encouraged to wear a mask when flying on other regional routes. Use hand sanitiser or wash your hands before, during and after the flight.

It has been more than a week since the last community case was reported - which was on September 24.

This morning (NZT) US President Donald Trump, who confirmed he had Covid-19 yesterday, had mild symptoms and was taken to a military hospital.

He is being treated with Regeneron, an antibody cocktail that is an experimental approach to treating the virus.

"As of this afternoon the president remains fatigued but in good spirits," the White House said.

Officials say 11 coronavirus cases have been linked to the US presidential debate held in Ohio on Tuesday.

All campaign events featuring Trump and his family have now been postponed.

Yesterday there were no new cases in New Zealand, and health officials had pinpointed a shared rubbish bin at a managed isolation facility in Christchurch as the likely source of infection for five positive cases.

The bin was in a corridor at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. People had to lift the lid to deposit the rubbish from their rooms.

There were signs telling people to use hand sanitiser before and after using the bin, but a new protocol would be implemented so all bins would be touch-free, and all rubbish had to be securely sealed in plastic bags before being placed in the bins.

Yesterday, director of public health Caroline McElnay issued a plea to those wanting to fly into New Zealand, after it was revealed 10 people with Covid-19 were on the same flight from India.

"In the 14 days prior to departure, people about to return to New Zealand should consider avoiding going to parties, social gatherings, or crowded places, avoiding contact with people who have Covid-19 or who have been in contact with cases, and staying home as much as possible to limit exposure to other people," McElnay said.

"Doing these things will help reduce the risk of being exposed to Covid-19, then bringing it home with you. People should also be aware of symptoms and get a test if any develop."

The Covid-laden flight prompted Otago University Professor Michael Baker to push for travellers from Covid-risky countries to spend a week in quarantine and to test negative before flying to New Zealand.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins has also released new requirements for aircrew, which were flagged over a week ago.

Overseas-based air crew who are laying over in New Zealand will be required to stay in a Government managed isolation facility for as long as they are in the country, to ensure they avoid contact with New Zealanders

They will be required to wear PPE on flights, in airports and whenever travelling between the airport and their hotel. They will also isolate with other crew members while on overseas layovers.

New Zealand-based crew returning to New Zealand from high-risk locations overseas will be required to self-isolate for at least 48 hours after they return, and until they are assessed as being low risk of having Covid-19.

The new measures are part of a public health response order that will come into effect from 11.59pm this Sunday.

McElnay said NZ aircrew only had to isolate for 48 hours because their layover while overseas had strict rules that meant they were essentially in quarantine.

Any aircrew breaching those layover requirements needed to spend 14 days in managed isolation on their return to New Zealand, she added.