Overseas visitors spark Covid-19 fear
Covid-19 rates and international tourist numbers are both picking up, and it is unclear what that means for infection levels and our creaky health system.
The Tourism Export Council is expecting more than 2 million overseas visitors this summer season and, even taking into account Kiwis heading overseas, that influx could still temporarily boost the country’s total population by several hundred thousand.
Since the border opened, the Ministry of Health says, 61 people identified as overseas visitors have been hospitalised with Covid-19 but the true figure is likely higher.
Exactly how many international visitors have required hospital care for the virus is unknown because the ministry data is based on patients who give an overseas address and does not include those who report staying at a hotel or private home.
Inbound disease risk
Covid-19 modeller and University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr Dion O’Neale does not believe tourists will increase the spread of the virus, which is already prevalent in the community where about a third of Covid-19 infections are being reported.
He says long-haul plane travel has been associated with slightly elevated infection rates, and holidaymakers tended to be out and about dining in restaurants and socialising, which could also put them a little more at risk.
Cruise cases
Cruise ships must report infectious diseases on board before they berth but Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand says keeping tabs on total Covid-19 infections is difficult because they change so rapidly.
As of November 21, on average 1.29% of crew and passengers had Covid-19, and Te Whatu Ora says the only passenger taken to hospital was someone who had a broken leg and was found to have Covid-19 on admission.
However, rising infection rates on three recent voyages prompted Carnival Corporation to tighten health measures on its ships, making mask wearing compulsory indoors (except when eating or drinking), outdoors where social distancing is not possible, and on shore excursion buses.
Citing patient confidentiality, Carnival Australia said it would be inappropriate to comment on whether any passengers with Covid-19 had been admitted to New Zealand hospitals.
When the Majestic Princess arrived back in Sydney in midNovember after a trip around New Zealand, 800 people on board reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.
The Princess Cruises website says its shipboard medical centre is equipped to handle multiple cases of Covid-19, right up to intensive care, and warns passengers who don’t comply with public health measures ‘‘may be disembarked’’.
Coach tour juggle
Before the season kicked off, coach tour operators were nervous about Covid-19 hitting both passengers and drivers.
It is understood a domestic bus tour had 20 of the 40 passengers pulled out over three days because they got Covid-19, were close contacts, or were worried about the risk of infection. Other operators have had a much smoother ride, with few cases.
Tranzit Group operations director Keven Snelgrove says that in the past two months 40 of 3000 overseas bus tour passengers have had to isolate and to his knowledge none required hospital care.
Even so, the logistics of organising somewhere for passengers to sit out their sevenday isolation, and replacing drivers and guides who get sick, is every bit the nightmare he had feared, and he says it may be worse during peak season in February and March. ‘‘It is a tiny proportion of passengers but it is horrific accommodating them when hotels can only run at 70% occupancy, and can’t necessarily give room service because they don’t have cafes and restaurants open.’’
The cost of sick visitors prepandemic
Now that international visitors are returning in greater numbers, it remains to be seen what impact Covid-19 has on healthcare costs for those unfortunate enough to get sick during their stay.
Back in 2019, overseas visitors who received medical treatment were charged close to $49 million, according to figures released under the Official Information Act by Te Whatu Ora, and about $12.7m, including some charges relating to earlier years, was not paid.
Health districts put outstanding bills in the hands of debt collectors but at least $13m was written off.
What about ACC?
ACC covers overseas visitors injured during their stay and for the three years prior to the pandemic visitors made more than 8000 new ACC claims annually, at a cost of between $2m and $3m a year.
Claims dipped significantly while the border was closed and began to climb once it reopened.
There were 2585 claims in the first 10 months of this year with a big proportion of them related to incidents in Otago, possibly a result of visitor mishaps on the ski slopes.
ACC admits visitor claims are under-reported because only claimants who give their occupation as ‘‘overseas visitor’’ are counted.
What about health insurance?
The Immigration New Zealand website site urges anyone coming here to visit, study or work to consider getting comprehensive medical cover but insurance is not compulsory.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance policies for people visiting New Zealand were the subject of 2000 claims in 2020 and 1000 last year.
In June, Southern Cross reported that Covid-19 was responsible for a third of international and domestic travel insurance claims but it was unable to provide any more recent figures on claims from overseas visitors who got the virus while in New Zealand.
In Singapore, health insurance is still mandatory for unvaccinated visitors but there is little appetite for New Zealand to join countries, such as Fiji, where all visitors are required to have it.
Both Health Minister Andrew Little and National Party MP and health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti back the current voluntary approach.