2 New Cases Of COVID-19 In Managed Isolation; No New Community Cases

Media Release

1 November 2020

2 new cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation; no new community cases

There are two cases of COVID-19 to report from managed isolation in New Zealand today, and no new community cases.

Of the two cases we are reporting today:

• one case arrived from Amsterdam via Singapore on 23 October
• one case arrived from the UK via Dubai and Malaysia on 19 October

Both cases were detected during routine isolation and testing processes and are now at the Auckland quarantine facility.

Our total number of active cases is 77.

Our total number of confirmed cases is now 1603.

Yesterday our laboratories completed 4,401 tests for COVID-19, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 1,101,067.

Chch Returnee Cluster Closed

The Christchurch returnee cluster is closed. It’s been more than 28 days since the last case – the length of two infection cycles – and the cluster is now officially closed.

This cluster began with the report on 19 September of an individual who developed symptoms and was tested after finishing 14 days in managed isolation and returning two negative tests on day 3 and 12.

As a result of an investigation within the managed isolation facility, the most likely source of infection was thought to be as a result of transfer of the infection via a rubbish bin with a lid shared with their neighbour who had developed the infection between the two tests in the facility.

There are seven cases linked to the cluster - six announced as cases in the community (on Sept 19, 20 and 23) and the seventh (Sept 9) detected while still in managed isolation, but subsequently linked to the other six cases.

Lessons from this cluster have resulted in changes being made, including informing our ongoing auditing and strengthening of our managed isolation procedures and processes.

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