Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has identified further bus journeys taken separately by two people with COVID-19, and is alerting a number of close contacts from HOP card details.

The two cases took a number of other buses while they were infectious, as well as the shared journey on the 22N bus on Wednesday 12 August.

The case linked to the Auckland cluster took the 670 bus on August 10 along a route through Mt Roskill to Otahuhu and then later between Otahuhu and Avondale.

The St Lukes worker also took buses on three days after Level 3 Alert on August 14, 15 and 17, travelling the same bus 22 route between Symonds St and St Lukes.

Seventeen passengers identified by their HOP cards as being on these buses at the same time as a case are considered close contacts. They are being asked to self-isolate and get tested if Public Health can contact them through their HOP details.

Two people travelling on an unregistered HOP card on these routes on these days are close contacts, but Public Health does not have contact information for them. Anyone on these buses at these times, for longer than 15 minutes, should self-isolate, call Healthline (0800 358 5453) for advice and get tested as soon as possible.

Anyone who was on one of these buses for shorter than 15 minutes at these times is considered a casual contact and should be aware there is a very small possibility that they have been exposed to the virus. As a precaution, they should watch for symptoms, calling Healthline if they become unwell.

Bus journey details

Monday 10 August - Bus number - 670, between 9:13am and 9:39am, from 91 Carr Road, Mt Roskill (Stop 1365) to 28 Mason Ave, Otahuhu (Stop 7025) 

Monday 10 August  - Bus number 670, between 11:38 am and 12:31pm, from Otahuhu Town Centre (Stop 1356) to Rosebank Rd, Avondale (Stop 1456) 

Wednesday 12 August - Bus number 75, between 9:44am and 10:04am, from 351 Remuera Road (Stop 7415) to 83 Symonds St (Stop 7149) 

Wednesday 12 August (announced previously as exit at Avondale) - bus number 22N, between 10:30am and 1:04 pm, from the Symonds Street Overbridge (Stop 7162) to New North Road (Stop 8200)

Friday 14 August- bus number 22N, between 08:33am and 8:47am, from 4 Symonds Street (Stop 7146) to 63 Morningside Drive (Stop 8666)

Friday 14 August - bus number 22R, between 6:06pm and 6:16pm, from 65 Morningside Drive (Stop 8861) to 25 Symonds St (Stop 7147) 

Saturday 15 August - bus number 22N, between 08:37am and 8:48am, from 4 Symonds Street (Stop 7146) to 63 Morningside Drive (Stop 8666) 

Saturday 15 August - bus number 22N, between 5:11pm and 5:22pm, from 65 Morningside Drive (Stop 8861) and 25 Symonds St (Stop 7147) 

Monday 17 August - bus number 22N, between 10:04am and 10:16am, from 4 Symonds Street (Stop 7146) to 63 Morningside Drive (Stop 8666)

Monday 17 August - bus number 22N, between 11:04am and 11:13am, from 65 Morningside Drive (Stop 8861) and 25 Symonds St (Stop 7147)

The two cases traveled together on the 22N bus for around 2.5 hours on Wednesday 12 August, as announced earlier. Auckland Transport advises there was very bad traffic congestion that morning as people were heading home before the midday lockdown. The situation was made worse with traffic queuing for the COVID testing centre by the St Lukes shopping centre.

Six of the 11 close contacts on the bus at the same time have been alerted to their exposure and asked to be tested and go into self-isolation by the National Investigation and Tracing Centre. Five people with registered HOP cards without up to date contact details have yet to be traced, along with two others on this bus who did not use a registered HOP card.

Public Health is asking other agencies to help with details of bus close contacts who cannot be reached.

The signs of COVID-19 include one or more of the following:

- New or worsening cough

- Fever

- Runny nose

- Difficulty breathing

- Sore throat

Anyone who has shown these symptoms, or who develops them, should free phone Healthline for advice (0800 358 5453) and arrange to get tested.

People using public transport in Auckland are encouraged to register their AT HOP cards to help with contact tracing, if needed. HOP cards enable contact tracers to access vital data such as where people got on and off buses and trains, and how many people were travelling together.

Public health advice is also to wear a mask at all times when in public or sharing confined spaces with others.

AT advises that its buses are thoroughly cleaned every evening.

ENDS

Source: Auckland Regional Public Health Service