Air NZ worker tests positive
Airport Countdown place of interest after visit last week
An Air New Zealand flight attendant has tested positive for Covid-19. Officials are trying to contact 14 other aircrew who were on the same international journey from Japan to get them isolated and retested.
Just 13 hours after Auckland came out of alert level 3 lockdown, the Ministry of Health issued a statement last night confirming a new “borderrelated case”. It said the airport Countdown supermarket was a “location of interest”.
Anyone who was at the store on March 3 between 12.07pm and 1.22pm should monitor their health for the next 10 days (until March 17). If they feel unwell or develop symptoms, they should contact Healthline on 0800 358 5454, and get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received.
The infected crew member returned to New Zealand from Japan on February 28 and returned a negative Covid-19 result. The person then returned a positive test result yesterday after a swab was taken on Saturday as part of routine surveillance testing. They were moved yesterday to Auckland’s quarantine facility.
The ministry confirmed a household member played golf yesterday morning, but they had subsequently tested negative which meant they were not considered to have been infectious while at the golf course.
A source told the Herald the flight attendant’s close contact partner had played at Remuera Golf Club and that his golfing partners had been contacted by the ministry and told to self-isolate.
The flight attendant’s three household family members were tested yesterday and the results were all negative.
“Fourteen other aircrew on the same journey as the latest case were last night in the process of being contacted, isolated and retested,” the ministry said.
“The Public Health initial assessment is there is low risk to the public due to Auckland being at alert level 3 for the period in which this case was back in New Zealand and were either in isolation or at home for most of that time.”
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said it was unlikely Auckland would go back into lockdown over the case. “It would have to be something very unexpected for that to be the case. I think it is highly unlikely that there’d be any need to escalate. It looks very contained.”
University of Otago epidemiologist professor Michael Baker said the fact the case was picked up through routine testing and that the household members tested negative was good news. But he said throughout the pandemic it’s been “a source of concern” that there is a different process for aircrew returning to New Zealand.
“They have never gone through the standard process that other returning travellers do, which is 14 days’ MIQ. There have been reasons for that, but it’s obviously an area of vulnerability.”
Meanwhile, testing is available at six community testing centres (CTCs) in Auckland as well as at general practices and urgent care clinics, with additional staff available to meet any increased demand.
The latest case was a frequent user of the tracer app, which is aiding public health staff to identify potential exposure events and assess any risks from their activities. Results from genome sequencing are expected tomorrow and will help rule out any local transmission. A further update will be provided today.
Air New Zealand chief medical officer Dr Ben Johnston confirmed the infected crew member worked for the airline.
“The aircrew member tested negative for Covid-19 on 23 and 28 February as part of the regular surveillance testing programme in place for international aircrew.
“Their last duty was flight NZ90 from Tokyo to Auckland on 28 February, after which they returned a negative Covid-19 test. On March 6 they were tested again in Auckland as part of their regular surveillance testing and returned a positive test.
“The aircrew member is now isolating following advice from the Ministry of Health.
“All of the other aircrew who are close contacts are being advised and will be isolated and tested according to the Ministry of Health’s requirements.”
Johnston said there were “significant precautions” in place for Air NZ crew operating to international destinations set out by the Ministry of Health, and the airline had staff following the protocols diligently.
An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the ministry did not require aircrew to isolate on return from Japan, however, they underwent health assessments.
Countdown general manager health and safety Kiri Hannifin said it was contacted by the Auckland District Health Board yesterday evening about a visit to the Auckland Airport store by a person who had now tested positive. The customer visited on Wednesday, March 3, for about 30 minutes from 12.37pm, she said.
“The Ministry of Health has advised us that this visit is deemed lowrisk and casual contact exposure. Any customers who shopped in the store at this time aren’t required to selfisolate, but should get a test if they develop any symptoms.”