Five returnees infected while quarantined

AUCKLAND: More than 100,000 people have returned to New Zealand since MIQ facilities opened, but only five of them have contracted Covid19 while staying there.

The five returnees and five staff members were infected by a source within the facilities, the Ministry of Health said.

The infections involve seven ‘‘events’’ at five MIQ facilities in Auckland and Christchurch between August 16, 2020, and January 26, 2021.

The five facilities are Rydges Auckland, Pullman Auckland, Sudima Christchurch Airport, Crowne Plaza Christchurch and the Jet Park Auckland quarantine facility.

All the cases have been previously reported.

The figure does not include 13 international mariners, who are thought to have contracted Covid19 overseas.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported four new cases of Covid19 in managed isolation and no new community cases.

Meanwhile, New Zealanders trying to get home are unable to book managed isolation as the system is full.

People logging into the system are faced with a calendar showing dates to May 31, but each date is struck out with a grey cross.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which runs the hotels, said cancelled vouchers would be held as ‘‘additional contingency for a short period as we navigate through this current situation’’.

MBIE said without the Pullman it still had some contingency left.

Breakers basketballer Tom Abercrombie has denied his family was given special treatment based on his sporting status.

His wife, Monique, and three children were granted a medical exemption to carry out their managed isolation at home after travelling back from Australia.

The Breakers are based across the Tasman to compete in the National Basketball League.

They originally went to Melbourne but after an outbreak of Covid19, moved to Hobart.

Following the move, Mrs Abercrombie decided she and the children would return to New Zealand.

Before they left Australia, they applied for a medical exemption to isolate at home, because two of the children were on the autism spectrum and had complex behavioural and medical needs, he said.

On day one of isolation, Mrs Abercrombie complained on social media about her hotel room being mouldy and about the time it was taking to process their medical exemption.

In a tweet, she tagged Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

His wife had made clear the details of their children’s medical needs throughout the process of landing in Auckland and arriving at the facility, Abercrombie said.

‘‘It’s obviously been deemed significant enough to be granted an exemption, which I hope people can understand.’’

Mrs Abercrombie complained on Twitter about the conditions of their managed isolation room.

‘‘In hindsight, making those thoughts public on social media probably wasn’t the right way to go about things.’’

Abercrombie said he could not comment on whether he had special treatment.

‘‘The fact that I am a basketball player or where I live had absolutely nothing to do with that decision and I’d be very disappointed if it was.’’

Managed isolation management was asked if the Abercrombie family received special treatment.

In a statement, it said: ‘‘All exemption applications are assessed on a casebycase basis, against a set of strict criteria, and all applications are treated fairly.

‘‘Any exemption application for medical reasons is assessed by public health authorities with the final decision made by MBIE MIQ . . . . There is an extremely high threshold for approving applications. As such, the majority of applications are declined.’’ —The New Zealand Herald/RNZ