Two Air New Zealand have isolated at home after potentially being exposed to a Covid-19 case, but were later classified as casual contacts.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said crew members who were isolating have now been deemed casual contacts of a crew member of a Malaysian Airlines freight flight.
The Malaysian Airline crew would usually stay airside and travel back to their country of origin.
In this case, the person was identified as having symptoms, so on arrival were taken to a quarantine facility and tested.
The person returned a positive result.
The other Malaysian Airlines crew members were transferred to the quarantine facility.
Two Air New Zealand ground crew who were initially considered to be possible contacts, but on review they were classified as casual contacts.
"They were wearing full PPE, there was no physical contact, and so at this point there is no further action required or needed regarding self isolation or testing," Bloomfield said.
Air New Zealand said the staff would be required to return a second negative test before returning to work, and it had asked them to keep isolating in the mean time.
In a statement, the airline said both crew had already received one negative Covid-19 result.
The airline said the case had been reviewed by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) yesterday, which advised no action was was needed.