Nine new Covid cases found amid returnees

New Zealand has nine new cases of coronavirus, all in managed isolation.

Ministry of Health officials said the new cases, from a range of countries, show Covid-19 continues to batter the globe as Kiwis return for the holiday period.

The new cases were recent returnees from France, Netherlands, Dubai, United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Spain and Italy, and all were in quarantine facilities in Auckland and Christchurch.

Mandatory isolation and testing would continue to be of critical importance as high numbers of New Zealanders return home for the holiday period, aministry spokesperson said.

November cluster

The genome sequencing of Case F, who was among six cases reported on Saturday, has confirmed a direct link to the November quarantine cluster.

Case F has been isolating since November 7 as a close contact of Case B.

What is known as the November quarantine cluster stems from a Defence Force worker (Case A) who was stationed at Auckland’s quarantine facility, Jet Park. The cluster also includes Cases B, C, D,E and now F.

Case Bis a civilian Defence

Force worker from Wellington who helped run a workshop on army values and Case C is another Defence Force civilian.

Case D is an Auckland student who tested positive for the virus on November 12 after Case A spent time in the city, near where she lives and works, while infectious the day after the workshop, November 5.

Case D infected a neighbour at 106 Vincent St apartments, known as Case E.

Get tested

The Ministry of Health encouraged anyone who visited a location of interest during the relevant time period for the November cluster to get tested, to ensure it could quickly identify anyone who may have been infected.

There is one additional recovered case, meaning there are 50 active cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand. The total number of confirmed cases is 1672.

As of Saturday, laboratories processed 6504 tests for Covid-19, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 1,230,901.

This continued strong level of testing as well as the prompt identification, tracing, testing and isolation of close contacts provides continued reassurance that this cluster is contained at this stage.

On Friday, three cases of coronavirus were found in managed isolation.