A woman accused of escaping from an isolation facility before her mandatory quarantine period ended has appeared in court.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Suzanne Marie Derrett appeared in the Auckland District Court this afternoon - charged with failing or refusing to isolate for the required 14 day period.
The 43-year-old is one of the first people charged under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act.
She was said to have climbed a fence at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland this month after flying in from Brisbane.
The court heard she had been tested for Covid-19 twice - with no positive result - and wished to return to Dunedin with her brother, who was in court for the hearing.
She was remanded on bail without plea and will appear again in two weeks time.
In total, there have been four escapes from managed isolation in New Zealand.
Last week, a person in their 60s broke a window and escaped from an Auckland isolation hotel.
This week 30 deportees from Australia are expected to arrive. They will be staying at a dedicated inner-city hotel with enhanced security attached to it.
Health Minister Chris Hipkins said there would be no tolerance for anyone breaking the rules.