Ministry of Health Covid-19 update
August 14, 2020
There are 12 new confirmed cases and one probable case of Covid-19 to report in the community today – 13 new cases in total.
Of the 13 new cases, all bar one, are linked to existing cases. The 13th, currently in Auckland hospital, is believed to be linked but the link is still being investigated.
Two of the 13 new cases are in Tokoroa. These two people tested positive after a visit from a close contact of one of the Auckland cases.
Details of all these cases is on our website.
We are now asking that all positive cases and their families who live in Auckland transfer to the local quarantine facility. This is so we can greatly reduce the risk of transmission, especially within households.
To date, 38 people linked to the cluster have now been moved into quarantine facility, including 18 who have tested positive and close contacts.
The 12 new confirmed cases to report today bring our total number of confirmed cases to 1251 which is the number we report to the World Health Organization.
The total number of active cases in New Zealand to 48, 29 of which are linked to the recent outbreak.
We continue to investigate close contacts. Our primary means of doing this is interviewing each positive case, identifying contacts and testing and isolating those who are close contacts and assessing casual contacts who are advised to be vigilant about
their health. If symptoms develop they should seek medical advice from Healthline 0800 611 116 or their GP and isolate and get tested if they develop symptoms.
Our national tracing service has 771 close contacts identified; they have contacted 514 as at 10am this morning. The Ministry strongly encourages anyone who is called by our contact tracers to please take the call.
In addition to Mount Albert Grammar, two other Auckland schools and a preschool are fully closed after confirmed cases have been linked to each of them.
Auckland regional public health is tracing close contacts at the two schools and preschool.
While they do this, all pupils and their families have been asked to be vigilant for any symptoms after one student each in two schools tested positive for COVID-19. The schools are Glamorgan School at Auckland’s North Shore and South Auckland’s Southern Cross Campus. A pre-schooler at Taeaofou / Puaseisei preschool has also tested positive.
The Ministry incorrectly named Pakuranga College as an affected school. While there is a casual link, the Ministry is awaiting further test results and at this point no additional public health action is required from the school.
The Ministry apologises for putting information in the public domain without first notifying the school.
Yesterday our laboratories processed 15,703 tests, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 524,414.
Demand has been high at the dedicated testing centres across Auckland and we again thank people for their patience.
There are 16 testing stations around Auckland, people can also get testing at their GPs. Anyone who is symptomatic should please phone ahead.
Morrinsville Aged Residential Care Facility
Waikato DHB’s Public Health Unit has confirmed two Covid-19 positive people visited Kingswood Rest Home in Morrinsville before they knew they had been exposed or were symptomatic.
The Ministry commends the rest home for responding rapidly and working closely with the local Medical Officers of Health.
The resident who was visited has tested negative as have the staff members who interacted with the visitors.
All staff and residents who may have been at the rest home during the period of concern are self-isolating.
All have been tested and results are expected by tomorrow. We are maintaining contact with all affected individuals and replacement staff are being sought to provide cover.
The DHB has provided the rest home with additional PPE and will continue working closely with the team there. Contact tracing, follow-up and welfare checks are also being undertaken.
Other investigations
As part of our normal processes we have been informed about two travellers who left New Zealand and later tested positive for Covid 19 overseas.
These cases are being investigated but have not yet been officially confirmed.
One case is a Japanese traveller who left New Zealand on August 8 and transited through Singapore en route to Japan. The other case is a Belgian traveller who left New Zealand on August 6 and transited through Singapore en route to Amsterdam. Both travellers were asymptomatic in New Zealand.
An interview with the cases, now overseas, established that the Japanese traveller spent some time in Wellington prior to departure and visited The Ramen Shop among a number of other places. These premises are all considered casual contacts of the traveller, they have been contacted and provided with advice as part of the normal contact tracing process. No further action is required from any of these premises as the risk is considered very low.
QR codes
NZ COVID Tracer has now recorded 1,172,800 registered users – that’s 386,000 in the last 24 hours. There have been 171,000 posters created – 32,736 in the last 24 hours. The app has now recorded nearly 700,000 scans in the last 24 hours.
The app does not use data when downloaded or used.
Finally, we are getting reports of people stockpiling medicines. Please rest assured that the supply chain for critical medicines is not impacted by the current situation. Pharmacies are an essential service so access to medicines will continue as usual.
