Four new cases of COVID-19. Three community cases, one from overseas.
There are 4 new cases of COVID-19.
One of these cases is in managed isolation, the other three are community cases.
The three cases detected in the community are a mother, father and daughter from the same South Auckland household.
The mother and daughter were tested initially when they felt symptomatic. They have now returned positive tests with relatively low CT values, which indicates they are new and active infections.
Their test results came through late last night.
The father was tested following their results and his result came through late this morning.
Whole genome sequencing is being carried out so the Minstry of Health (MoH) can learn whether these infections are one of the more transmissible variants reported overseas, which have also been detected around other border-related cases in New Zealand recently.
Today’s three cases have one other household contact in their family unit. This person is also being tested and we await their results.
Immediately following the first two positive results, the household was placed in isolation. All four residents are moving to the Auckland quarantine facility today.
Locations of Interest
The MoH have currently identified the following locations of interest related to these cases:
Papatoetoe High School
One of the cases is a student at Papatoetoe High School which will be closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Staff, parents and caregivers are receiving information directly from the school today including instructions on what they should do if they are close or casual contacts.
Work is underway to provide a testing facility on site at the school.
PAK'nSAVE Manukau
PAK'nSAVE Manukau (for a short time on Friday) is classified as a potential exposure event.
Two of the cases had a very short visit of about 10 minutes on Friday.
If you were at this location on Friday between 3.45 - 5pm please:
• Stay home and isolate
• Be alert to any COVID-19 symptoms
• Call Healthline to arrange a test.
Taranaki
Last weekend, potentially around the time the cases may have been developing symptoms but would have been unaware of this, two of the cases travelled to New Plymouth where they visited a number tourist locations.
At this stage, the ministry are unsure whether the two people were infectious during this period.
Locations of interest will be updated on the MoH website as they become available.
Testing Centres
In Auckland, the hours for the regional community testing centres in Northcote, Balmoral, Henderson and Otara are being extended today. The community testing centre in Wiri is also open today.
Additional testing will be set up for Papatoetoe High School community from tomorrow, more information on this will be shared with the school later today.
Further information on community testing station hours is available on the Auckland Regional Public Health Service website.
The MoH are anticipating high demand at COVID-19 testing sites. The ministry has asked for the oublic to please be patient.
The MoH has issued a reminder that "if you were not at a location of interest at the stated times and you have no symptoms you do not need to be tested.
"If you were at the locations of interest at the times stated, you need to get a test, and remain isolated until you receive the result.
"If you have symptoms but have not been to a location of interest stay home and call Healthline for advice.
"As always, if you are unwell with symptoms, take advice about getting tested before you head out – firstly by calling Healthline."
New border case details
The new overseas case arrived from the USA on 11th February 2021 and is in managed isolation in Wellington.
The total number of active cases in New Zealand is now 47.
The total number of confirmed cases is 1,974.
The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,586,816.
On Saturday laboratories processed 3,343 tests.
The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday is 3,786 tests processed.
NZ COVID Tracer
NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,567,071 registered users.
Poster scans have reached 178,724,255. More than 469,000 (469,046) poster scans have been recorded since midday yesterday.
Users have created 7,273,042 manual diary entries.
