Last cluster of Covid19 appears over
AUCKLAND: New Zealand’s only remaining cluster of Covid19 cases looks to have been stamped out after having just one new case linked to it in two weeks.
Its origin remains unknown but it would appear Alert Level 1 beckons for Auckland.
Public health professor Nick Wilson said the drop in cases was a success story for health authorities and the New Zealand public.
‘‘The situation is looking very good for Auckland.
‘‘It’s looking like there’ll be downward adjustments to alert levels when they’re next reviewed,’’ Prof Wilson said.
‘‘We really are heading strongly back to the whole country being Covidfree.’’
He warned, though, that more positive tests could come from a separate outbreak originating on a charter flight that has spawned six cases so far, but he was also confident it had been well contained.
The main Auckland cluster, with 179 cases, was easily the biggest the country had faced, almost twice as big as any other.
Three people died — former Cook Islands Prime Minister and prominent doctor Joe Williams and brothers Alan and Nigel Te Hiko — and most cases were in the Pacific community.
The Government will make a decision about Auckland moving to Alert Level 1 on Monday. If it goes ahead with eased restrictions, it would take effect from next Thursday morning.
The one new case of Covid19 in managed isolation in New Zealand yesterday tested positive in managed isolation about day three of their stay. — RNZ