Recent rise in police warnings to MIQ rule breakers

AUCKLAND: Police have had to issue nearly 50 warnings to rulebreaking returnees in a managed isolation and quarantine facilities this summer, most over bubble breaches.

While that was about half the number of warnings given over the entire sevenmonth period before, police say the higher recent numbers was because officers now had to record all incidents.

Police also revealed a 40yearold man in an MIQ facility was arrested on Sunday and given a formal written warning for disorderly behaviour.

The Government yesterday introduced tougher MIQ rules and ordered a temporary winddown of the facility at the centre of the latest rogue cases, Auckland’s Pullman Hotel.

New Zealand’s MIQ facilities, which are still running at near capacity, operate under protocols designed to keep returnees within their bubbles.

Despite those measures, several recent returnees have expressed concerns over mingling between travellers, particularly between those just arriving and others soon to check out.

While breaches were typically minor, every one was an avoidable risk of Covid19 spread.

A police spokesman clarified they were verbal not formal warnings, given to remind returnees of the rules.

Yesterday, the Government announced all returnees in managed isolation would now be required to stay in their rooms for the last two days of their time in quarantine.

The Pullman Hotel will also gradually empty and take no new returnees, as an investigation into the latest border failure continues.

Along with the latest three cases, 12 people tested positive in the Pullman between December 30, when the Northland woman arrived, and January 25.

All of those cases were transferred to the Jet Park Hotel quarantine facility. —