Bluff groom’s father one of virus deaths

AUCKLAND: The Wellington man who died last week after contracting Covid19 was the father of the groom in the Bluff wedding cluster, Stuff reports.

Chrisanthos (Christo) Tzanoudakis (86) is one of New Zealand’s nine deaths related to the virus.

He died in Wellington Hospital on April 10, Stuff reported.

Director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay announced the death on Saturday, and confirmed the man’s infection was linked to an existing cluster that would not be identified for privacy reasons.

Mr Tzanoudakis first started showing symptoms on March 26 and was admitted to hospital two days later.

The widower and father of two was originally from Crete and had lived in Wellington for 50 years, Stuff reported.

Mr Tzanoudakis was also one of the founders of the Cretans Association of New Zealand, and served as its president for some years.

In a post on the organisation’s Facebook page, current president Stamatis Nikitopoulos announced Mr Tzanoudakis’ death with ‘‘a heavy heart’’.

‘‘Christos was born on the 8th October 1933 and migrated to New Zealand from Topolia, Kissamou, Chania, Crete in 1963 and worked at the Wellington Wharf Docks for many years,’’ Mr Nikitopoulos said.

‘‘He was a very muchloved man by all his family and friends and a wellrespected member of the Cretan Associations and the broader Greek Orthodox Community in Wellington.’’

He said Mr Tzanoudakis’ family wanted to grieve for their ‘‘loving, kindest and warmest father and grandfather’’.

Mr Tzanoudakis’ funeral service was held yesterday.

About 70 guests attended the reception at Bluff’s Oyster Cove Restaurant and Bar following the wedding in Invercargill.

There were now 86 cases of Covid19 stemming from the event. The bride, groom and several other family members had tested positive, as had about 10 staff at the bride’s workplace — the Invercargill City Council — Stuff reported.

Data published by the Ministry of Health shows the cluster originated from ‘‘overseas exposure’’ to the virus.

It’s the nation’s largest cluster of cases, ahead of Marist College’s 85. There are 13 clusters in New Zealand with 10 or more known cases.

An Air New Zealand flight attendant is believed to have been questioned as part of investigations into how Covid19 arrived in the cluster.

The flight attendant told guests he had returned to New Zealand from a work flight from the United States just days before, a New Zealand Herald source who did not want to be named said.

He was said to be coughing and, at a gathering of family and guests the next day, was gargling salt water, apparently for a sore throat.

He went on special leave from his job about March 25. — The New Zealand Herald