There are no new Covid-19 cases at New Zealand's border or in the community today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed.
However, there were three historical cases reported today.
One of the new cases arrived from the Philippines via Australia on July 11. They tested positive on day 12 in Auckland.
The other two cases, who travelled together, arrived from Uzbekistan via the United Arab Emirates and tested positive on arrival in Christchurch.
Five previously reported cases have since recovered and one case reported on Saturday, who arrived in New Zealand on July 22 from the UK via Qatar, was previously reported in the UK, and has therefore been removed from our confirmed case tally.
Another case, reported yesterday, who arrived in New Zealand on July 22 from the UK via Qatar has been reclassified as "under investigation" while it is determined if this case is historical.
These changes bring the number of active Covid-19 cases in New Zealand to 54, and the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic began to 2507.
It comes after two new border cases and two historical cases aboard the Playa Zahara ship, docked in Bluff, were reported yesterday.
New Plymouth wastewater testing
Today's update also comes as further testing in New Plymouth's wastewater came back clear.
It comes after two Covid-positive wastewater results were detected in Taranaki late last week which could be due to recently recovered cases continuing to shed the virus, or could signal undetected cases in the community.
However, the ministry today said all test results currently processed for New Plymouth from Friday, Saturday and some yesterday had come back negative.
"A total of 160 swabs were taken in New Plymouth yesterday. Around a quarter of these have been processed and returned negative results," the ministry said.
The remaining swabs taken yesterday that are expected later today and samples taken over a wider area in Taranaki are expected tomorrow.
"The Ministry is continuing to strongly encourage anyone in Taranaki with symptoms, or recent arrivals from Australia with or without symptoms who’ve recently visited Taranaki to be tested.
"The Ministry is recommending that any recent arrivals from Australia, who have symptoms, also get tested, and anyone who has recently been in Australia who is now in Taranaki to get tested even if they don’t have symptoms.
"Additional testing capacity remains open in New Plymouth to support potential demand."
Yesterday, 2844 tests for Covid-19 were processed in New Zealand, bringing the total number since the pandemic began to 2.44 million.
Covid-19 on board fishing vessels
In an update today, the ministry said crew aboard the Playa Zahara ship are now all recovered and no one remains onshore in managed isolation. The fishing vessel remains in quarantine at Lyttelton Port.
Meanwhile, 14 of the 20 crew members on the Viking Bay vessel are now back aboard, but the ship too remains in quarantine at Queens Wharf in Wellington. Six of the crew members remain in managed isolation in Wellington.
The ministry said there was no update on the Mattina ship, but it remains in quarantine in Bluff and is inaccessible to the public.
"Every safety precaution has been taken to ensure the public health risk, which has been deemed low, remains that way."
The NZ Covid Tracer app now has 2.9 million registered users.
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