About half of the students and seven teachers at an intermediate school in Gisborne have to isolate after two students were found to have Covid-19.
Two school children and a member of their household in Gisborne have tested positive for Covid-19. Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
Two students who go to Ilminister Intermediate, in the suburb of Kaiti, have returned positive results.
Another person in their household has also tested positive.
The DHB, Hauora Tairāwhiti, said about 160 students and seven teachers who were deemed contacts would need to get tested and isolate until they received a negative test result (likely on Saturday).
Other school whānau did not need a test, unless they had symptoms.
The rest of the school is open as normal.
The school roll sits at around 300.
Hauora Tairāwhiti chief executive Jim Green said work was in full swing to identify close contacts of the cases and locations of interest.
"I understand parents may feel anxious but students should continue to attend school unless contacted by the school or public health staff," he said in a statement.
"The advice remains for everyone in Tairāwhiti that if you have any symptoms at all, please get tested today and self-isolate at home until you've received a negative result.
"Drive-through testing is available at Te Tini o Porou at 75 Huxley Road from 2pm to 4pm today and Watson Park until midday.
"Testing is also available through your local GP or at Te Puia Hospital. Please ring first to book a time. For anyone who is getting tested, please help us to speed up testing by having your NHI number with you if you have access to it."
The Lonestar restaurant in Gisborne has been identified as a location of interest, from Sunday February 6 from 6.30pm-9.30pm. Anyone who was there then is deemed a close contact, so they must self-isolate and get tested immediately.
Another new case of Covid-19 was announced in Tairāwhiti yesterday evening.
The region now has at least 20 cases, nine of them confirmed as Omicron. Only one is confirmed as Delta.