The Ministry of Health has apologised for not informing an Auckland care provider of its determination before naming the facility as a Covid-19 cluster this afternoon.
Earlier this evening, Spectrum Care CEO Sean Stowers said he was "surprised" one of their Auckland locations was named as the source of a Covid-19 cluster by the Ministry of Health.
Mr Stowers says five workers at the north west Auckland disabled care facility and three people they support tested positive for coronavirus.
The current guideline is that 10 cases are needed to be labelled a cluster.
The Ministry of Health has since apologised for not informing Spectrum Care of its determination.
However, the Ministry stands by its cluster definition in relation to Spectrum Care.
Mr Stowers told 1 NEWS health officials say there are 28 cases linked to Spectrum Care, which Mr Stowers assumes is from close contacts of the cases linked to the facility.
However, he says the people who became infected with coronavirus at Spectrum Care were not the original source of the virus and were themselves "secondary transmissions".
"Based upon the information and guidelines that we’ve been given it does seem unfair that it’s all been referred," he said.
Spectrum Care released an official statement on the issue today.
"Auckland Regional Public Health Service has advised us that a total of five active Spectrum Care staff in Auckland have been diagnosed with Covid-19 and are now in isolation while they recover," part of the statement reads.
"The close contacts of these staff members were identified and asked to go into quarantine.
"Contact tracing in West Auckland has continued and further positive results have been recorded as part of this process."
There are now 13 "significant clusters" being investigated. (Source: Other)
Spectrum Care said according to the Ministry of Health's method, it was included in the country's cluster count as the "community outbreak" had surpassed the 10 or more cases threshold.
"Auckland Regional Public Health Service confirmed this afternoon that all other positive results attributed as part of the ‘Spectrum cluster’ are, in fact, subsequent transmissions (including household and other close contacts) associated with what began as a wider community outbreak in North West Auckland.
"While we understand this is a fast-moving and fluid environment as we collectively endeavour to actively manage the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also clear that reporting parameters, definitions and criteria must be consistent in order to maintain public confidence in the management process," the statement concluded.
Today, a new cluster was identified at George Manning rest home in Spreydon, Christchurch, where there have been 14 Covid-19 cases among residents and staff.
Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay says the three largest clusters remain Matamata's Redoubt Bar with 70 cases, a Bluff wedding and Auckland's Marist College, which both have 85 cases.
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