Seven cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation in two days

There are seven cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation to report in New Zealand since our last media statement on Monday. There are no new cases in the community.

• One case arrived on 13 December from South Africa via the United Arab Emirates. This person tested positive following the onset of symptoms and has been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
• One case arrived on 14 December from the United States. This person tested positive at routine testing around day 3 and has been transferred to quarantine in a facility in Christchurch. Further information has found this is an historical case and is not included in the total number of active cases reported.
• One case arrived on 15 December from the United States. This person tested positive at routine testing around day 3 and has been transferred to quarantine in a facility in Christchurch.
• One case arrived on 15 December from the Czech Republic via the United Arab Emirates. This person tested positive following the onset of symptoms around day 6 and has been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
• One case arrived on 17 December from the United States. This person tested positive at routine testing around day 3 and has been transferred to quarantine in a facility in Christchurch.
• One case arrived on 17 December from the United States. This person tested positive at routine testing around day 3 and has been transferred to quarantine in a facility in Christchurch.
• One case arrived on 17 December from the United Kingdom via Qatar. This person tested positive at routine testing around day 3 and has been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.

Seventeen previously reported cases have now recovered. The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 49. Our total number of confirmed cases is 1,772.

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,381,545.

UK COVID-19 variant

Ministry of Health officials continue to closely monitor the situation in the United Kingdom, with the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant known as the B.1.1.7 strain.

Taiwan COVID-19 case

Ministry of Health officials have been advised by their counterparts in Taiwan that a New Zealand national who is based in Taiwan has tested positive with COVID-19. Officials advise this person has not been in New Zealand while infectious and does not pose a public health risk to New Zealand.

NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,416,600 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 143,262,693 and app users have created 5,770,373 manual diary entries.

As we prepare for the summer holiday break, the Ministry would like to remind all New Zealanders to keep each other safe and use the COVID Tracer app to scan QR codes and turn on Bluetooth functionality.

This will allow you to receive an alert if you have been near another app user who tests positive for COVID-19. Find out more here.

Ministry of Health updates over the holiday period

The Ministry will continue through the holiday period to provide updates about cases and actions taken in response.

The frequency of reporting continues to reflect the routine nature of the cases appearing at the border in recent returnees in managed isolation facilities.

Upcoming scheduled reporting dates will be: Sunday 27 December; Tuesday 29 December; Thursday 31 December; Sunday 3 January; Tuesday 5 January; Thursday 7 January and Sunday 10 January.

The Ministry's website will be updated with case numbers in line with these media updates.

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