Northern Express Bus Driver Confirmed With COVI-19 But Low Risk To Passengers

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) confirms that a driver of the Northern Express (NEX) bus service has been diagnosed as having COVID-19.

ARPHS says there are no close contacts from the bus trips on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 September, between 5.30am-1.00pm and 4pm-6.15pm. The driver was not symptomatic and wore a mask while on shift.

Passengers did not interact with the driver and used the rear door to board and exit the bus. They were seated 2m away from the driver as the front seats were blocked off because of social distancing measures. There were no cash transactions and passengers used AT HOP cards. The staff who drove the bus after the case have been asked to be tested and CCTV footage of the bus depot is being reviewed to determine if any other staff members are close contacts.

The case is linked to the current existing Auckland cluster and the bus driver did not contract COVID-19 while working.

Anyone who travelled on the bus with the driver at these times is a casual contact, at low risk of developing the virus. They do not have to self-isolate, but they should get tested if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.

This case highlights the importance of all public transport passengers scanning the QR codes with the NZ COVID Tracer app in addition to swiping their AT HOP cards. This provides another way of alerting people when they may have been exposed to COVID-19, alongside the use of HOP card registration information.

Auckland Transport has confirmed there were 319 passengers who travelled on this service across the two days between Hibiscus Coast/Albany and Auckland city centre.

Bus journey details (on the ARPHS website)

Thursday 3 September

05:40 - Albany Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert St) (05:40 - 06:06)

06:15 - -Britomart (Lower Albert St) To Hibiscus Coast Station (06:15 - 06:59)

07:15 - Hibiscus Coast Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert) AM Peak (07:15 - 08:00)

08:42 - Hibiscus Coast Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert) AM Peak (08:42 - 09:26)

11:05 - Hibiscus Coast Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert St) (11:05 - 11:48)

11:55 - -Britomart (Lower Albert St) To Albany Station (11:55 - 12:24)

12:30 - Albany Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert St) (12:30 - 12:58)

16:04 - -Britomart (Lower Albert St) To Albany Stn (16:04 - 16:36)

16:43 - Albany Station To -Britomart (Lower Albert St) (16:43 - 17:15)

17:37 - -Britomart (Lower Albert St) To Albany Stn (17:37 - 18:13)

-Due to city centre capital works, the Britomart (Lower Albert St) collection point for the NX service is on Customs Street.

Friday 4 September

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