Six new cases in managed isolation

There have been six new cases of coronavirus over the past two days.

The cases, announced yesterday, are all in managed isolation.

Ministry of Health officials said in the update they were closely monitoring the situation in New SouthWales, which has reported increasing numbers of Covid-19 community cases.

Officials were in regular contact with Australian officials, and New SouthWales was also implementing new measures for international aircrew, the statement said.

In New Zealand, officials have already increased public health and testing measures relating to aircrews.

Overseas-based air crew are required to stay in a managed isolation facility for the duration of their layover while in New Zealand.

Of the six new cases, two arrived from South Africa, two from the Netherlands, one from Australia and one from the United States.

The case from the United States tested positive around day seven and was tested as the person was a close contact of an existing case in managed isolation. This person is now in quarantine in a facility in Christchurch, while the others have all been placed in quarantine facilities in Auckland.

On Thursday, the Government announced free Covid-19 vaccines would be available to the entire population of New Zealand from the middle of 2021.

Two new agreements have been signed for two-dose vaccines: One for 7.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which would cover 3.8m people; and another for 10.72m doses of a vaccine from Novovax, enough for 5.36m people.