A person who travelled to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands from New Zealand has tested positive for Covid-19 on their arrival back into Auckland.
New Zealand's Ministry of Health said the person travelled from New Zealand to Rarotonga on 31 January and returned on a flight that left the Cook Islands at 12.30pm and arrived in Auckland at 5.30pm on 8 February NZ time.
"Anyone sitting in rows 53,54,55, 56 and 57 are considered close contacts. They are advised to self-isolate and get tested immediately and follow any further isolation and testing requirements provided by Public Health."
"Public health officials are in touch with their Cook Islands counterparts, who are investigating the source for the infection. It is currently unclear where the case picked up their infection."
There are officially zero Covid-19 cases in the Cook Islands.
On Saturday night the Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said on social media he had been advised by NZ's Ministry of health about the matter.
"The person’s partner tested negative, and three friends travelling with them have yet to be tested.
"It is likely that the person who tested positive was infectious while here and further likely that the virus is in our community.
"It may be there is 'silent transmission,' where our high vaccination rate is so protective that people get Covid but so mildly that they do not realise they have it.
"We have prepared for this, and we will follow the procedures and processes to deal with this.
"The fact that we have a high percentage of our people vaccinated will give us substantial protection from serious illness.
"The infected person was here for 8 days, is fully vaccinated and first developed symptoms in the early hours of Monday 7 February, the day they departed Rarotonga.
"The previous Friday 4 February, they tagged into Trader Jacks at 11.30pm and at 12.42am on the Saturday morning (5 February) they tagged into Rehab."
SHARE ME