Covid rules in spotlight
Authorities are scrambling to plug the holes in New Zealand’s leaky borders as concern grows at the risk of an upsurge of Covid-19 cases.
The country has three confirmed active cases of the virus after the diagnosis of a passenger from Pakistan who has been in isolation in two Auckland hotels.
His case followed news that two sisters let out of managed isolation early on compassionate grounds tested positive after driving from Auckland to Wellington, meeting friends on the way.
In what could be a fourth possible case, a guest at the Auckland hotel where the two women stayed has reportedly been moved to quarantine after developing symptoms of the virus.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield publicly apologised for slew of systemic failings in the women’s case and said the pair did not break the law.
Bloomfield said he felt deflated by the situation – just like many other people who might be feeling upset or who have had their confidence shaken.
‘‘I’ve certainly been upset by it,’’ he said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed ‘‘huge remorse’’, and said the errors were unacceptable.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Parliament there ‘‘is a full scale investigation into how it happened, and those people will take responsibility’’.
National Party leader Todd Muller says the border blunders put the proposed trans-Tasman travel bubble in jeopardy.
‘‘I think it’s all around the confidence that New Zealanders have in their own border management and the confidence that Australia has in our ability to manage the border,’’ he said.
National MP Chris Bishop confirmed that he had helped the women, as their local MP, to apply to the Ministry of Health for a compassionate exemption to visit their dying mother.
‘‘They should have been tested before being released. They weren’t,’’ Bishop said.
Government figures show that 64,000 people have come into New Zealand since lockdown began.
Yesterday, Bloomfield said all passengers flying between Australia and New Zealand would be given facemasks to stop the spread of the virus.
Pathology expert Dr Ling Chin said incoming travellers ‘‘posed the greatest threat to our elimination goal’’.
Mandatory mask use on all flights would be more effective than simply handwashing and covering sneezes, Chan said.
While people cannot be forced to take a Covid test, Bloomfield said those wanting to leave isolation would need to prove they were a low risk to the community. All compassionate leave requests have been suspended.
Those in isolation will also no longer be let out for funerals, after a group attending a Hamilton funeral did not return to isolation immediately, and nine people from isolation went to a Tuesday burial in Christchurch without having taken a test.
Cayden Wilson, one of a group in isolation in Christchurch’s Commodore Airport hotel after being flown from Auckland on Monday, said people from various hotels and at various stages of quarantine had mixed on the flight and they were not tested before transfer.
However, masks and gloves were provided for the flight, he said.
Christchurch’s Chateau on the Park hotel will also be used for isolating new arrivals into the country.
As of Tuesday, New Zealand had 3567 people in managed isolation and quarantine, and 90 people were exempted from the process in the past week, according to Ministry of Health figures.