Counties Manukau District Health Board's chief medical officer says a woman who tested positive for Covid-19 after presenting to Middlemore on Thursday was asymptomatic and unvaccinated.
The Ministry of Health revealed late on Thursday she had come to the hospital with a non-Covid related issue and was asymptomatic but submitted to having a routine test taken.
However, she left before her Covid-19 test came back. She is now isolating.
All staff who were in the emergency department and adult short-stay area were equipped in full PPE gear, including N95 face masks and goggles.
As such, the risk of exposure to staff is deemed low and none are being stood down.
Inpatients deemed close contacts have been identified and are now isolating.
Peter Watson told Breakfast as far as he knew the woman was not displaying symptoms and was unvaccinated.
She had left about two hours of presenting at the hospital.
He said there was no reason not to believe her that she had not been exposed to Covid-19.
Counties Manukau DHB's Peter Watson says the patient is female, was not displaying symptoms and was unvaccinated. (Source: Other)
Watson pointed out asymptomatic cases are possible off the back of this.
He encouraged people in South Auckland to get tested if they had symptoms or had been to a location of interest .
"We're so keen to ensure not to miss anybody."
Watson also encouraged people to get vaccinated and said the hospital is open to those who need help.
Despite Alert Level 4, it is seeing more than 200 people per day.
It is Middlemore's second Covid-19 case in as many days, after a man later tested positive for the virus after being admitted with abdominal pain on the weekend.
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