New Zealand / Covid 19

Covid-19 update: Nine new cases in managed isolation reported in New Zealand

13:16 pm on 22 November 2020

There have been nine new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand's managed isolation facilities today, with the new imported cases coming from all over the world.

An Auckland isolation hotel Photo: Alexia Russell

In a statement this afternoon, the Ministry of Health said there had been no further community transmission.

The Ministry also said the varied origins of the new cases was a "clear reminder that mandatory isolation and testing will continue to be of critical importance as high numbers of New Zealanders return home before the holiday period".

The nine new cases include:

  • One person arrived from France on 17 November and tested positive at around day three.
  • One person arrived from the Netherlands on 17 November and tested positive at around day three.
  • One person arrived from Dubai on 17 November and tested positive at around day three.
  • One person arrived from the United States on 19 November and tested positive at around day three.
  • One person arrived from the United Kingdom on 14 November and tested positive following routine surveillance at around day seven.
  • Two people, who were travelling separately, arrived on the same flight from Bangladesh on 10 November and tested positive at around day 12.
  • One person arrived from Spain on 16 November and tested positive at around day three.
  • One person arrived from Italy on 16 November and tested positive at around day three.

All nine are now in quarantine.

There were five new imported cases in New Zealand yesterday, with a border worker already in quarantine for the past two weeks also testing positive.

The Ministry has also confirmed today that genome sequencing of the border worker case reported yesterday had directly linked that case to the November quarantine cluster. Yesterday's case has been isolating since 7 November as a close contact of a previous case.

There are now 50 active cases of the coronavirus in New Zealand and the total number of confirmed cases is now 1672.

New Zealand's laboratories processed 6504 tests for Covid-19 yesterday, the Ministry said.

"This continued strong level of testing as well as the prompt identification, tracing, testing and isolation of close contacts provides continued reassurance that this cluster is contained at this stage."

  • 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

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