It is still unknown how many people left managed isolation without a Covid-19 test after returning to New Zealand, with the lack of data labelled by Opposition leader Todd Muller as a "national disgrace".
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says the group does not pose a high risk and the Government has moved to tighten measures around testing.
The Government today has released a new Covid-19 testing strategy to implement regular health checks and asymptomatic testing of all border facing workers.
A number of positive cases have been found recently among new arrivals. (Source: Other)
That includes people working in customs, biosecurity, immigration, aviation security and cleaners at international airports, staff at managed isolation and quarantine facilities and international air and maritime crew.
Dr Bloomfield was unable last week to say how many people had left managed isolation and quarantine without returning a negative Covid-19 test. The issue was highlighted after two women left managed isolation early on compassionate grounds, drove to Wellington, and then tested positive for the virus.
Today, he told media there was a group of 2,159 people that the Ministry of Health were following up with after spending 14 days in managed isolation between June 9 and 16.
"They all received health screening on departure and testing was offered and work is ongoing to make contact with all of the people in this group."
"We are just following up as a final precaution."
When asked if he could answer how many left without being tested, Dr Bloomfield said he wished he could.
"But what I will say is that they had all completed the 14 days (of isolation), we had started to introduce the testing, we do know that many of them were tested on departure.
"Yes, I would like to be able to have that number with you, but the matching work is ongoing."
Another 55 people left via compassionate exemptions.
"Some were tested before they went out and some were not, but we have subsequently followed them up," Dr Bloomfield said.
He said some that were not tested included four children, three who left for medical reasons to get treatment or were palliative and several who left the country.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it was the expectation "everyone was to be tested before they exited a facility".
"I think it's unacceptable that the tests weren't done in the first place. Now our job is to make sure that health works through every single person that was released after 14 days."
National leader Todd Muller said it was "quite extraordinary" after going through the Covid-19 lockdown period, that the Government could not "look at anyone in New Zealand and say exactly how many people left quarantine or left managed isolation without being tested".
He called it "a national disgrace".
"We will continue to hound this Government to be honest and transparent with the degree of failure that has occurred here and to ask for accountability."
On TVNZ1's Q+A last night, Health Minister David Clark said it was the expectation that returning a negative Covid-19 test was needed before leaving managed quarantine.
Mr Clark said he had "no reason to believe, because I had reassurances that this was happening... that it wasn't".
"That was an operational requirement," he said. "Ashley Bloomfield has apologised, because he himself believed that that was happening in the system."
It is forecast today that 534 people would arrive in New Zealand and 320 were due to complete isolation - assuming they test negative for Covid-19.
"We’ve got roughly 4200 at the border, we are quarantining the equivalent of a small town," Ms Ardern said.
"It is a huge logistical exercise, there is no playbook for this."
Two people who flew into the country last week tested positive for Covid-19 today, bringing New Zealand's total active cases to 10.
Yesterday, Ms Ardern revealed the Government was mulling co-payment options for returning Kiwis in managed quarantine, but it was not a "straight-forward policy".
"New Zealand citizens and permanent residents have a right to come home, so there are questions that need to be answered over whether or not you could feasibly, from a rights perspective, put in a co-payment.
"The absolute priority is we have to maintain those tight restrictions, quarantine and assisted self isolation at the border."
She said it was predominately citizens and permanent residents returning "and you can see why, there’s the ability to move now and many countries are experiencing much tougher environments than we are".
"There will be New Zealanders who are losing work and want to come home to a support network they have here in New Zealand.
"We did ask New Zealanders to come home in March. Now we’re in a situation where very strict border restrictions are in place, it is coming at a cost to taxpayers, that has to be balanced against the right of New Zealanders to return."
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