One person is in custody following two separate absconding incidents in Auckland and Hamilton MIQ facilities over the past two days.
A Covid-positive case escaped the Amohia Community Isolation Quarantine facility in Hamilton, previously known at the Distinction Hamilton, after removing a section of perimeter fencing at around 11.45am on Friday.
The person was observed by MIQ security leaving the facility in a waiting car, where they were apprehended a short distance away by police several minutes later, Joint Head of MIQ, Brigadier Rose King, said in a statement.
They are currently in police custody.
The individual arrived at the facility on October 27 and was due to be released on November 9. They had been on day eight of their stay.
There are currently 17 positive cases occupying 16 of the 110 rooms at the Amohia, which is being used for quarantine purposes for positive Waikato community cases.
On Thursday at around 5pm, a Covid-positive community case being transported to the Holiday Inn MIQ in Auckland escaped from the facility soon after their arrival.
The person ran out of the open gate after exiting the shuttle to begin their stay, and was caught by police five minutes later around 100 metres down the road.
They did not come into contact with anyone prior to being apprehended, police and MIQ security observing the incident reported.
A security guard is now stationed outside the individual’s room and welfare support is being provided.
The Holiday Inn Auckland Airport Hotel, which is being used for positive community cases, has 109 cases occupying
“Every single event like this is extremely disappointing to me and they are all taken very seriously. But our facilities aren’t prisons and our staff aren’t prison guards. People don’t come into our facilities because they've broken the law, they come in because unfortunately they are community cases that have tested positive,” King said.
“It is hard to keep people in a facility if they are determined to leave. MIQ staff work really hard to ensure the safety and comfort of all members of our community currently staying at our facilities. Most recent absconders were caught very quickly thanks to our staff and our security measures.
"The overwhelming majority do their part to keep New Zealand safe. Deliberate breaches like this can put the wider community at risk.”
There have been over 186,000 people through MIQ, of which there have been 18 absconding incidents involving 24 people, including the Hamilton and Auckland events.
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