New Zealand’s Health authorities are scrambling to identify close contacts after a confirmed case of COVID-19 flew from Sydney to Wellington for a three day period last weekend.
As a result, Covid 19 Response Minister Chirs Hipkins has announced that the Wellington region will move to COVID-19 alert level 2 at 11:59pm on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday morning the case tested positive upon returning to Australia, however they most likely contracted the virus in Sydney prior to their trip to New Zealand
- The Australian traveller was on two flights – one from Sydney to Wellington on flight QF163, arriving on Saturday at 12:12am. They returned to Sydney on Monday, June 21 on flight NZ247, which left at 10:13am
- Wellington will move to COVID-19 alert level 2 from 6pm on Wednesday until at least 11:59pm on Sunday.
- All passengers on the two flights are currently considered close contacts and must immediately isolate and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing
- Four close contacts, who met up with the confirmed case during his trip to Wellington, are currently isolating.
- New Zealand authorities are contacting the case’s close contacts and getting further information about their movements while in Wellington.
- The current locations of interest in Wellington are: Qantas Flight QF163 Sydney to Wellington, Rydges Hotel, Unichem Wellington Central Pharmacy, Te Papa Tongarewa – general, Te Papa Tongarewa – Exhibition Surrealist Art: Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Jack Hackett’s Bar, Floridita’s Restaurant, Highwater Eatery, Pickle & Pie café, The Weta Cave shop, The Lido café, Unity Books, Countdown Cable Lane, One Red Dog and the toilets at 4 Kings Bar. More information can be found here.
- On Tuesday, quarantine-free travel with New South Wales was paused for 72 hours.
