Caution urged as virus cases increase to 16
A 58-year-old woman is the latest person to be confirmed as a probable coronavirus case in Taranaki, with the number of cases in the region rising to 16 yesterday.
Taranaki District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Jonathan Jarman said there were now 14 confirmed and two probable cases in the region. Of these, four were active and 12 had recovered.
‘‘When we say probable, it means that her symptoms and close household contact with a person with confirmed Covid19 infection make it very likely she also has the infection even though her Covid-19 test was negative,’’ Jarman said of the latest case.
‘‘In this instance the woman lives in the same household as her husband who acquired the infection overseas in March.
‘‘Both her and her husband have been in isolation since then, and now she will go into further isolation until she is considered to be noninfectious.’’
The woman is the second Covid-19 case announced in Taranaki at the long weekend.
On Sunday, a 50-year-old woman was confirmed as the region’s 15th case after testing last Friday came back positive.
Before this announcement the region had gone 24 days without a case.
Her case was also described as ‘‘quite unusual’’ by Jarman at the time, as she had returned home from travelling through Europe in mid-March and had mild symptoms a few days later. She lived symptomfree until just this week when she decided to get tested because of a a runny nose.
‘‘We believe that the first illness in March was most likely the start of the Covid-19 infection. It’s very lucky that our patient put herself into quarantine when she came home and then we have all been in lockdown.’’
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield was also quizzed about the case at yesterday’s announcement, in which he confirmed there were five new cases – one confirmed and four probable – and one new coronavirus death, that of a woman linked to the St Margaret’s cluster.
Although he couldn’t speak about the Taranaki case specifically, Bloomfield said there were cases where a person’s infection and symptoms had started before the lockdown, or where they have had symptoms, recovered, and then become symptomatic again and it has not been clear whether their Covid-19 illness went away or whether they didn’t have it to start with.
Bloomfield said the questions that arose from such a case – such as reinfection and immunity – were being looked at worldwide and followed closely here. This was because they would affect the way New Zealand managed its way through level three, which came into play overnight, and into level two.
Whether the country moves into level two will be reassessed in two weeks.
Meanwhile, TDHB chief executive Rosemary Clements said it was planning and preparing for alert level three.
Health services around Taranaki will operate as normal as possible under alert level three, she said.
Covid-19 testing will also continue and people can now go directly to one of the four local testing clinics in New Plymouth, Ha¯ wera, Waitara and Opunake, she said.
Taranaki civil defence controller Sue Kelly has also encouraged residents to avoid complacency at level three.
She said the recent cases showed how unpredictable the virus could be. ‘‘As we move into level three, Taranaki people need to keep to their immediate household bubble, reduce travel and maintain social distancing with others.’’
Kelly said people suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, which include a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, head cold, fever or loss of sense of smell, should get tested immediately at a clinic.
‘‘Even the mild symptoms should be tested as soon as possible. Cases will remain confidential and we should be supporting those who have been tested positive for the virus.’’
Kelly said the risk of community transmission increased as people returned to work and the options for recreation widened.
‘‘There is a lot at stake and everyone needs to take care and be patient.’’