Historical Covid19 case being investigated

TAURANGA: Health authorities are investigating a suspected historical case of Covid19 detected in a crew member who arrived at the Port of Tauranga at the weekend.

If confirmed, it would be the second case in the community in just two days, following the announcement of a positive case in a port worker yesterday.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Health said there were no new cases of Covid19 in the community or managed isolation.

Later, the ministry confirmed it was investigating a suspected historical case of Covid19, detected in a crew member on the IVS Merlion, which is docked in the Port of Tauranga.

The crew member has returned a weak positive Covid19 test, with a high CT value, that indicates an old infection, the ministry said.

‘‘It appears most likely that this crew member had Covid19 some time ago and is no longer infectious.

‘‘The IVS Merlion arrived into New Zealand waters on October 15 after departing Indonesia on September 24.’’

The person had not passed on the infection to any other crew members, who had all tested negative and have been on board the vessel for three weeks.

No crew members are allowed to leave the IVS Merlion.

A Port of Tauranga spokeswoman said in terms of the historical case the crew member in question did not come to shore and was a low risk of infection.

The ministry said yesterday Sofrana Surville, a ship bound for Brisbane from Auckland and Noumea, was the most likely source of infection for a port worker who tested positive for Covid19 on Friday.

Ken Rei, a ship off the coast of Napier with 21 crew on board, was also being looked at, Directorgeneral of Health Ashley Bloomfield said.

The marine electronics engineer who tested positive for the virus on Friday had worked on both ships.

The case has highlighted a new gap in Covid19 border testing — foreign workers transiting through New Zealand are not being tested despite spending shorter stays in managed isolation.

Eight crew members from the Philippines boarded Sofrana Surville on October 13. They had flown into the country a few days earlier and had spent a brief time in isolation at a Novotel hotel in Auckland.

Dr Bloomfield said none of the eight crew members had been tested since their arrival in New Zealand.

‘‘With these crew in transit, we don’t routinely test them and that’s something we are looking at immediately today with Maritime NZ and transport colleagues over the next few days.’’ — The New Zealand Herald/ RNZ