A worker at a managed isolation accommodation hotel, the Grand Millennium, in Auckland has tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day as another 19 cases are confirmed in new arrivals to managed isolation facilities in New Zealand.

The worker, who lives alone but travels to work with a colleague, returned a positive swab after being tested on Tuesday. The colleague was tested today (Thursday April 8) and is self-isolating.

An urgent repeat test is being carried out today on the worker to give health officials a better understanding of this person’s infection and whole genome sequencing will be conducted.

This morning Auckland public health officials interviewed the new case to determine any locations of interest but, at this stage, it’s understood the case was not at work yesterday and did not visit anyone, a Ministry of Health statement said. 

Any locations of interest identified will be updated in the MInistry’s website and notifications will be sent.

This is the second case of a worker at Grand Millennium testing positive in recent weeks. 

As previously reported, a cleaner at the Grand Millennium tested positive for Covid-19 on March 22.

Whole genome sequencing results for that case indicated the person was infected with the B.1.1.7 variant, and was found to be a close match to a returnee who had been in the facility.

As a result of this earlier case and today’s case, an out-of-cycle Infection Prevention and Control audit of the Grand Millennium facility will be carried out, similar to that previously done at both the Pullman and the Grand Mercure facilities, the statement said.

In addition to the new community case, the Ministry of Health also reported an additional 19 cases confirmed in managed isolation facilities.

All the cases arrived on recent United Arab Emirates flights mostly originating in India. Fourteen of the cases, all from India, arrived yesterday and were tested immediately and confirmed today.

Two days ago the Ministry of Health advised of 17 new Covid cases in managed isolation over Easter Sunday and Monday, 11 of which were new arrivals from India who tested positive for Covid either on arrival or during their first day in isolation.

The Government announced today that it is suspending travel from India in response to the surge in Covid cases. The suspension begins this Sunday and will remain in place until April 28.

Since January, proof of a negative Covid-19 test is required for nearly all passengers (some exemptions apply) before they depart for New Zealand. A negative pre-departure test is required no more than 72 hours before scheduled departure. 

PHOTO: Supplied