There are two new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, both are imported cases in managed isolation facilities.
A health worker prepares to test a person at a drive-in centre. File image Photo: AFP
In a statement this afternoon, the Ministry of Health says one person arrived on a flight from Ukraine on 23 September via the United Arab Emirates.
It says the other person arrived in New Zealand on a flight from Pakistan via the United Arab Emirates on 23 September. They were on the same flight but not travelling together.
"Both individuals tested positive as a result of tests done around day three and have been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility."
There are no new cases in the community.
Eighteen people are isolating in the Auckland quarantine facility from the community, which includes nine people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and their household contacts.
The ministry says one person is in hospital with Covid-19 at Middlemore. "The patient is in isolation on a general ward."
It says since August 11, the contact tracing team has identified 4,079 close contacts of cases, of which 4,079 have been contacted and are self-isolating or have completed self-isolation.
The total number of active cases is now 55; of those, 29 are imported cases in managed isolation quarantine facilities, and 26 are community cases.
The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand is 1,479.
Yesterday there were 3,636 Covid-19 tests processed, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 955,590.
The ministry says public health services are continuing to contact trace, test and isolate close contacts of the three community cases reported earlier this week.
"There are a total of 44 close contacts associated with these cases. All are now self-isolating. All but one have returned negative test results and the remaining result is pending."
Photo: RNZ
There were no new cases of Covid-19 announced yesterday.
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The ministry is reminding people to remain vigilant during the school holidays.
"While many people will be enjoying a break over the next two weeks, it's also important to remember that the Covid-19 virus exploits any opportunity to spread.
"Please don't let your guard down."
Meanwhile, security has been bolstered at a managed isolation facility in Auckland after a man escaped from the fourth floor of the Ramada Hotel in Federal Street by tying sheets together to make a rope.
The minister in charge of managed isolation facilities Megan Woods said it was not a failure of security given it is an isolation facility in a hotel. "Bear in mind, this is not a prison."
In an international development, some 120 million rapid diagnostic tests for Covid-19 will be made available to poorer countries, the WHO says.
- If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre