Twenty-nine staff at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital have been stood down, because they’re close contacts of a Covid-19 case.
Among them are 11 doctors and 13 nurses who will have to stay home for 14 days.
The Ministry of Health says the hospital is reviewing staffing daily and a national process is underway to send staff from other DHBs to support Auckland’s Covid response.
Four wards are closed to any new admissions.
It comes after a man later tested positive for the virus after showing up at the hospital's emergency department on Saturday with abdominal pains.
He denied having knowledge of being in contact with the virus or being in a location of interest.
The man developed a fever and was then tested for the virus. During this time he shared a room with three other men aged 30, 38 and 91.
The family of the 91-year-old and the 30-year-old have previously spoken to 1 NEWS surrounding their concerns about management of the case.
The man's family said they were "incredibly upset" this could have happened and are "extremely worried" for his health.
Andrew Little says every correct action was taken in the lead up to the man testing positive. (Source: Other)
"A sick person, an elderly sick person, now through no fault of his own, but incompetence, exposed to a very deadly Covid virus," his daughter said.
On Monday, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the sick man "ideally should have been isolated from others on the ward".
But appearing on Breakfast Wednesday, Health Minister Andrew Little defended the actions of hospital staff.
He said he took staff at their word appropriate screening was done and the man was managed appropriately until he developed symptoms and tested positive.
"Every correct measure that could be taken was taken up to that point."
With 29 staff at the hospital now isolating, Little said there were about 130 nurses around the country who were prepared to help.
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