GEIS-新闻详情

New Zealand on alert as coronavirus may have infiltrated Wellington

2021-06-23 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

AUCKLAND (BLOOMBERG) - New Zealand health officials are scrambling to trace the contacts of an Australian traveller from Sydney who visited Wellington over the weekend while infectious with Covid-19.

The visitor was in Wellington from Saturday, June 19, until Monday, June 21, and tested positive for the virus on their return to Australia, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday (June 23).

In addition to the flights the person was on, four locations of interest have been identified, including national museum Te Papa and a central city bar. Close contacts are being asked to get tested and isolate for two weeks.

"We don't know which variant it is," director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield told Radio New Zealand.

"Whatever the variant, the response is the same, it is for people to act quickly, to isolate and to be tested. We will be looking at whether other measures might be required, wider use of masks, potentially restrictions on gathering sizes for a period."

A return of the virus would be a blow for New Zealand, which has gone about four months without any community cases and has been one of the best performers in the world during the pandemic.

The nation paused quarantine-free travel with Australia's New South Wales last night following a new outbreak in Sydney.

The ministry said it appears the visitor to Wellington contracted the virus in Sydney prior to their departure.

New Zealand's vaccine roll-out has been slow. Immunisation of the general population is due to start at the end of July.