There are 2 new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation and one new community case, a person linked to the Auckland February cases and who has been in quarantine from Tuesday, February 23.

The latest community case (Case L) is a household contact of cases I, J and K.

This person was tested on arrival into quarantine and returned a negative result. This individual then developed symptoms and returned a positive test. As the person was possibly infectious for up to 48 hours prior to developing symptoms, Case L’s workplace is being treated as a location of interest.

The two new cases at the border are currently in managed isolation in Auckland. One case arrived from the Phillippines via Hong Kong on February 12 and tested positive around day 12 routine testing. The other arrived from the United Kingdom via Singapore on February 22 and testing positive on routine testing day one.

One previously reported case has now recovered. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 67. The total number of confirmed cases is 2,015.

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,693,679.

On Thursday, 10,123 tests were processed. The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday is 7,570 tests processed.

Since January 1, there have now been 35 historical cases, out of a total of 205 cases.

Auckland February cases contact tracing update
Case L worked at KFC Botany Downs between Monday, February 22 3.30pm and 12.30am on Tuesday, February 23.

There are 3 categories of contacts related to the KFC exposure event. All contacts should call Healthline.

KFC staff - there are 11 close plus contacts who worked at the same time as Case L. These people will be tested and required to isolate for 14 days along with their household contacts.

Members of the public who entered the store between 3.30pm Monday 22 February and 12.30am on Tuesday 23 February are close contacts and should isolate at home for the remainder of the 14 day period (until 8 March), and be tested on day 5 (tomorrow) and day 12.

Members of the public who went through the KFC drive through between 3.30pm Monday 22 February and 12.30am on Tuesday 23 February are casual plus contacts and should isolate at home until a negative day 5 test result is returned. For these contacts day 5 is tomorrow so they should get tested tomorrow and remain isolated until they get their test result.

We are asking anyone affected by this latest KFC exposure event to get tested tomorrow not today to limit waiting times at testing centres. All contacts should call Healthline.

Detailed advice about the actions required for the different categories of contacts is provided on the Ministry of Health website.

Progress with tests at Papatoetoe High School
Case A had 31 close contacts at the school, one of these tested positive (Case D). All others have tested negative for COVID-19.

All the remaining students and staff at the school have been designated as Casual Plus contacts of Case A.

There have been 1,537 casual plus contacts.

As at 8am this morning, excluding the three positive cases (Case E, I and J), 1,520 have returned at least one negative test result since 15 February.

All casual plus contacts have been undergoing a follow-up test on or after 22 February. So far, all results from the additional testing have been negative.

We continue to work closely with the school to ensure all staff and students are tested. Where necessary, this includes visits to students homes to make sure people are getting the support they need to access testing and remain isolated.

Kmart Botany contacts
A total 32 staff members have been identified as close plus contacts. This number has increased from that previously reported after further investigation on their contact with the case. All these people have been contacted and are self isolating.

We currently have 24 negative test results from this group; testing of others is being done at the appropriate time.

We have also been contacted by 1,742 people who reported being at the store at the times of interest. They have been provided with public health advice. These people have been asked to isolate for 14 days and be tested at day 5 and day 12 after their exposure to the case. We currently have 1,073 negative test results for this group.

Anyone who has visited the store at the times of interest is advised to contact Healthline.

Those that have received a text with their initial COVID test result should continue to follow the advice above.

Once again we would like to thank all contacts and their households for isolating and being tested as required to keep their community safe.

Events in Auckland this weekend
We know there’s interest in several big events in Auckland this weekend.

Auckland remains in Alert Level 1 which means that public events and activities can continue this weekend.

As always, if you are going to an event, scan using the COVID Tracer app, sanitise and if you are unwell, please stay home.

Up-to-date information on testing locations in metro Auckland
If you were at the locations of interest at the times stated, please follow the advice relevant to the contact category announced for each exposure event.

If you have symptoms but have not been to a location of interest stay home and call Healthline for advice.

An additional testing centre is being set up in East Auckland tomorrow. For up-to-date information on testing locations in Auckland, visit https://www.arphs.health.nz/ and all testing locations nationwide, visit the Healthpoint website.

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