There are no cases of COVID-19 to report in the community today.
There are five new cases of COVID-19 to report today in recent returnees in managed isolation facilities.
Two previously reported historical cases, associated with the Playa Zahara fishing vessel, have now been reclassified as 'not a case'. Neither case meets the current COVID-19 case definition.
As a result, these cases have been removed from our total cases count and our historical cases tally.
The number of active cases in New Zealand is 46.
Since 1 January 2021, there have been 107 historical cases, out of a total of 694 cases.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is five.
Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,511.
New border cases in New Zealand
| Arrival date |
From |
Via |
Positive test day/reason |
Managed isolation/quarantine location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 July * |
United Arab Emirates |
Direct flight |
Day 13 / contact of a case |
Auckland |
| 14 July * |
United Arab Emirates |
Direct flight |
Day 13 / contact of a case |
Auckland |
| 23 July |
United Kingdom |
Full travel history to be determined |
Day 3 /routine |
Auckland |
| 24 July |
Fiji |
Direct flight |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
| 24 July |
Full travel history to be determined |
Singapore |
Day 3 / routine |
Auckland |
*These cases travelled in a bubble together
The full travel history has now been finalised for a case we reported on Tuesday. This person arrived from the United Kingdom on 22 July and travelled through Singapore. This person tested positive in routine day 3 testing.
Update on patient from Fiji
Health authorities have approved a formal request for the transfer and treatment of a patient from Fiji who has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Ministry's approval follows agreement by the metro-Auckland DHBs to treat the patient, and a transfer plan approved by a Medical Officer of Health from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service and agreed to by New Zealand Air Ambulance Service.
The plan takes into consideration the safety of both the patient and the crew who will be transporting the patient.
The metro-Auckland DHBs are working in an extremely busy and dynamic environment, due in part to higher than normal presentations of RSV and winter illness. The receiving hospital is yet to be confirmed, and will be determined by the treatment required by the patient and the capacity in the respective Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
There are appropriate isolation and infection prevention and control plans in place at all the metro-DHB hospitals to accommodate this patient.
The approval follows a request for specialist treatment in New Zealand. Requests for medical treatment in New Zealand from overseas jurisdictions, particularly in the Pacific, are common. Every request is considered, carefully taking into account factors such as the clinical needs of the patient, whether safe transport can be arranged and the availability of care in New Zealand.
While this request was initially declined for capacity reasons, the metro-Auckland DHB ICUs have now confirmed that treatment can be provided. The region will continue to work closely together to manage capacity issues.
The medevac flight left this morning and is due to return this afternoon.
