One of New Zealand's top microbiologists has stressed the importance of tracking down the source of infection after a Middlemore Hospital patient tested positive for Covid-19.
The man arrived in the hospital's emergency department on Saturday with abdominal pains and was admitted to the surgical ward, where he shared a room with three men aged 30, 38 and 91.
It wasn't until Sunday that he was tested for Covid-19 after developing a fever.
On Wednesday, it was revealed by the Ministry of Health that eight family members of the case also have Covid-19.
However, the man denies having any knowledge of being in contact with the virus or having visited a location of interest.
Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles told 1 NEWS it's "absolutely crucial" that health officials find the missing link between the man and the Auckland cluster.
"What's important now is to understand where this case has come from," she said.
"Is this a chain of transmission that we don't know about? Because that is absolutely crucial."
Dr Siouxsie Wiles said it’s “really important” anyone who is symptomatic gets tested, even if they’re not in Auckland (Source: Other)
While Wiles said it appears as though hospital staff were following the Covid-19 protocols, the Delta variant is a "tricky virus".
"It sounds like everything was done right. This is a really tricky virus and there, unfortunately, isn't room to put everybody who presents at hospital into isolation until they test negative."
The Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that 29 staff at Middlemore Hospital had been stood down after they were deemed close contacts of the patient positive for Covid-19.
Among them are 11 doctors and 13 nurses who won't be able to return to work for 14 days.
Wiles noted that a significant amount of its workforce being out of action would be a tough blow for Middlemore Hospital.
"My heart goes out to staff and people there because this must be very difficult."
New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Kerri Nuku told 1 NEWS it is a "scary time" for staff, their families and patients caught up in the latest case at Middlemore Hospital.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation Presidet Kerri Nuku said it’s a “scary time” for those involved. (Source: Other)
"It is hugely troubling for everybody concerned," Nuku said.
"It's a scary time for [nurses'] families, for the patients and for those who have been left behind in the ward. This is a significant time for everybody."
Nuku noted that Middlemore Hospital was already dealing with short staffing, "so that's not good enough, especially during a crisis like this pandemic."
She said that hospitals need to ensure they have enough resources to cope when preparing for a pandemic, particularly when it comes to staff numbers.
"We have to ensure DHB policies and processes are safe; some nurses are feeling pretty frightened and afraid, and I think some of their families are particularly concerned."
Nuku added that there may have been "corners cut with staffing issues" in the past, fuelling the current shortages across the health sector.
"We always talked about this, this was going to be inevitable so we should have been prepared. We shouldn't have been doing things at the height of the pandemic."
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