Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has slammed the person who travelled with the Northland Covid case, deeming their actions “dangerous” and “beyond irresponsible”.
Health authorities and police have managed to contact the person, but they are refusing to cooperate.
It comes after Northland was sent back into Alert Level 3 on Friday night after a woman, described by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins as being "uncooperative", was confirmed as a positive case.
She first returned a "weak positive" Covid-19 test on Wednesday while in Whangārei. She was re-tested in Auckland on Thursday. That test came back positive.
Hipkins said the person travelled "extensively" while in Northland between October 2 and October 6.
When asked about the woman who travelled with the covid-19 case and is not co-operating, the Prime Minister said she felt just as “frustrated” by the person actions, as everyone else.
“This is an extraordinary set of circumstances where we have someone who may or may not be Covid positive, who has travelled with an individual, who we’ve identified but cannot locate, and they are refusing to cooperate.
“It is beyond irresponsible, it’s dangerous, we are using every tool and means we can to try and locate the individual.”
Ardern urged the person to cooperate.
“Easiest option for you right now is to come forward, allow a test to be undertaken so that we can ensure we are protecting those who have been around you and that may include your family and friends.”
Though the person has not been found, Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed that police believed the individual was no longer “travelling around” the Northland region.
“Police have got a reasonable level of confidence the person is not travelling around in Northland at the moment, “ said the Director-General of Health.
“But what we are very keen to do of course is get that person tested.”
He also encouraged anyone who came into contact with the individuals to get tested.
The situation in Northland remains precarious as authorities try to track down a woman who travelled with a Covid-positive person. (Source: Other)
“There will be people in Northland who know the people that travelled there, may have had some interaction, It’s very important for you to get tested.
“They will know who they are, whether they are symptomatic or not, go and get a test.”
The Northland region remains in Alert Level 3 until 11:59pm Thursday and authorities are continuing to trace the movements of the person.
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