Testing to follow Korean connection
There were no new cases of Covid19 yesterday but this weekend district health boards will have a targeted testing surveillance programme in Queenstown, South Auckland and Christchurch, locations all connected to the case in South Korea.
The 22-year-old man who flew out of the country from Christchurch Airport on July 21 and tested positive after arriving in South Korea was in Queenstown from July 1 to 4. He took a bus tour to Milford and joined a boat cruise.
Auckland’s Sylvia Park mall foodcourt was closed for several hours yesterday for cleaning after it was revealed he visited on July 16 from 11am-1pm.
“The ministry has advised this event, which took place over two weeks ago, poses a very low risk,” general manager asset management Linda Trainer said. However a further deep clean of the whole centre would take place overnight. The Southern DHB yesterday named 11 businesses in Queenstown that the man had visited early in his stay from July 1-4, including Fergburger, the Kawarau Bridge Zip Line, Luge Queenstown and Milford Sound boat cruise. Contacts from the man’s travel in Queenstown and Fiordland had been identified and were being followed up by health board and ministry contact-tracers.
The ministry said DHBs and public health units would be providing community-specific information around where and when testing in the three locations can take place. “If you have, or may have had symptoms, please contact Healthline or your GP for an assessment for testing.”
It has been 91 days since the last case was acquired locally from an unknown source. There are 20 active cases with 1210 confirmed Covid-19 cases to date