Eight people from New Zealand may have been in contact with a person with the Covid-19 coronavirus on the Grand Princess cruise ship, currently off San Franciso, unable to dock in the United States.
In a statement today the Ministry of Health says it's been notified by the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention that eight passengers from New Zealand who were aboard the Grand Princess between February 11 and February 21 may have been in contact with a person confirmed to have Covid-19.
They say the eight people had already returned to New Zealand before they were notified by US authorities.
New Zealand health officials spoke with seven of the eight people today and conducted health interviews.
One person hasn't been spoken to yet.
"Four people are well and are outside the isolation period and they pose no risk of covid-19," the Ministry of Health say.
"Three people have been assessed as needing to be tested.
"One of those three was already in medical care at North Shore Hospital and appropriate testing and public health actions are underway.
"Contact tracing for close contacts of this person has also commenced as a precaution, including some health care staff."
Four people in New Zealand are confirmed to have the Covid-19 coronavirus. None of those four are part of the eight referred to in this story.
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