Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Mount RSA closed after three members test positive

Mount Maunganui RSA is now closed until 11 am on January 5. Photo / NZME

Mount Maunganui RSA is now closed until January 5 after three members have tested positive for Covid-19.

Potential close contacts of the cases have been urged to get second tests.

The Ministry of Health confirmed earlier this week that Mount RSA had been named a place of interest on five dates: December 15, 16, 20, 22 and 24.

On December 16, an in-house mini snooker event was listed as a close contact high-risk location. Anyone present between 11.45am and 5pm on that day was advised to self-isolate and get tested immediately.

Club president Arthur King earlier said a decision was made to close the club on December 27, while the seven staff and six executive members, including himself, got tested and waited for results.

Today, King told the Bay of Plenty Times that he, club executive members and the seven staff all had negative tests but three club members had tested positive.

That included the man who originally sparked the Ministry of Health notification and two others who also played in the same in-house mini snooker tournament, he said.

King said last night the Ministry advised them to get second tests as Covid can hang around in your system for some time. Over the days of interest, 30 other people had also been identified as being in the club at the relevant times and they would also need to have a second test.

King said the club would now be closed until 11am on January 5, which was "very disappointing" as about 200 people had been expected to visit the club on New Year's Eve, and they even booked some bands for the occasion.

"We are working very closely with public health and Ministry of Health officials and are all self-isolating until our second test results come back."

King said he had emailed all 4760 club members to let them know about the closure and urged them to stay away, get vaccinated if they weren't already and get tested if they developed symptoms, even if they were not at the club on the relevant days.

The 11 executive members would carry out a thorough deep clean of the club before it reopened, hopefully on January 5, he said.

Anyone who developed symptoms should ring the Healthline on 0800 358 5433 or their doctor and tell them they were a close contact.

Shopping malls, gaming rooms, eateries, public toilets, supermarkets and an icecream parlour in Tauranga have also been named among recent places of interest.

Mount Maunganui RSA times of interest:

December 15 from 5.30pm and 10.15pm;

December 20 from 11.15am and 4pm;

December 22 from 11.30am and 6pm;

And December 24 from 1.48pm to 4pm.

Anyone who was at the RSA at these times was advised to self-isolate and get tested immediately.