By New Zealand confirm two cases of coronavirus have arrived from a London flight.
New Zealand has been coronavirus free for over three weeks, with the country lifting all restrictions just over one week ago.
Today, New Zealand have confirmed two new cases of coronavirus, both brought into the country by passengers arriving from London.
Both women, one aged in her 30’s and the other her 40’s, gained special permission to travel to New Zealand to visit a dying parent. Upon arrival, the women checked into an isolation hotel in Auckland.
On June 12, the women applied for an exemption to leave the hotel in order to visit their relative. This exemption was granted and the women travelled by private car to Wellington on June 13. The pair stayed with family in Wellington.
The pair were tested on Monday and today, Tuesday 16 June, were confirmed as positive cases for COVID-19. The women’s family members have also now been placed into self-isolation.
Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the Director-General of Health in New Zealand, says that the “women did everything right” and had not put the public at risk. He did add that he had since asked that anyone who applied for compassionate exemptions would now be required to have a test prior to being granted any release from mandatory quarantine.
Dr Bloomfield also called for understanding rather than criticism, saying:
“I want to say that this is a Kiwi family that has been affected by a virus that is part of a worldwide outbreak. What they need is support and understanding.”
Health officials in New Zealand are carefully tracing anyone who may have had contact with the women. The women are now in isolation in Wellington.
On Monday 15 June, prime minister Jacinda Ardern reiterated that all travel bans currently in place will continue for a further week, while people entering the country from South Korea and northern Italy will now be allowed entry, but told to go into self-isolation for two weeks.
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