1 new case of COVID-19 in managed isolation
There are no cases of COVID-19 to report in the community in New Zealand today.
There is one new case of COVID-19 to report in recent returnees in a managed isolation facility since the Ministry’s last update yesterday.
Two previously reported cases have now recovered and the number of active cases in New Zealand is 33.
Two previously reported cases, from 5 July, have now been deemed as historical.
Since 1 January 2021, there have been 87 historical cases, out of a total of 596 cases.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is one.
Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,412.
Update on the Viking Bay
The All of Government response has confirmed the Viking Bay fishing ship has now docked at Queens Wharf in Wellington.
As it is now a quarantined vessel, perimeter fencing has been put around the ship and maritime security and police are monitoring the wharf and the water. Media and the public are asked to avoid the area and to respect the privacy of the crew.
A mobile health unit has been set up. The crew will disembark later today and be tested.
Seven of the 20 crew will remain aboard to meet maritime safety requirements. The remaining 13 crew – which includes the two crew who last week tested positive for COVID-19 – will be transferred to a Wellington quarantine facility using Infection Prevention and Control protocol, including the use of appropriate PPE.
The risk assessment has been reviewed and this situation remains to be considered a low risk to public health.
Update on the Playa Zahara
The All of Government response has confirmed the Spanish flagged shipping vessel the Playa Zahara has applied for permission for a change of crew at Port Taranaki.
There have been reports of a flu-like illness on board so health authorities will provide testing for crew members on the ship shortly after it berths tomorrow.
The ship will then depart from the onshore quarantine place of inspection and will remain off shore until test results are available on Thursday.
If the results show there is no evidence of COVID-19 onboard, then the vessel will be granted pratique for a crew change.
Health authorities have assessed this situation as having a low risk to public health.
Travel from New South Wales
Quarantine-free travel from New South Wales (NSW) remains paused and managed return flights from Sydney begin tomorrow. All travellers on these flights will have to go into managed isolation for 14 days when they arrive in New Zealand. Because of this, travellers from NSW will not be required to return a negative pre-departure test before flying.
Travellers who have been in NSW on or after 10.30pm on 26 June are not permitted to travel back to New Zealand from other parts of Australia. Travel histories will be checked at the airport before flying.
Travellers from all other parts of Australia – who haven’t been in NSW since 26 June – must have returned a negative pre-departure test to be allowed to enter New Zealand. All travellers must complete a travel declaration.
Information about priorities for return flights from NSW and access to managed isolation facilities has been released this morning by United Against COVID-19. It can be found here.
Officials have confirmed the health risk from Queensland is now low and Quarantine Free Travel (QFT) from Queensland to New Zealand can resume from 11:59pm (NZT) tonight. For more information, visit: Unit Against COVID-19 page.
Testing update
The total number of COVID-19 tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,353,967.
On Sunday, 2,962 tests were processed across New Zealand.
The seven-day rolling average is 5,482.
For all testing locations nationwide visit the Healthpoint website.
This testing data does not include the number of tests processed by Waikato DHB, as systems remain down as a result of the cyber attack. The Waikato data continues to be recorded manually and monitored. The data will be added to the tally once systems have been restored.
The manual data shows Waikato has been processing around 300 tests a day over the last 7 days.
NZ COVID Tracer
NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,892,561 registered users.
Poster scans have reached 303,057,576 and users have created 11,797,188 manual diary entries.
There have been 1,438,447 scans in the last 48 hours to midday yesterday.