Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Teacher at Western Bay of Plenty childcare centre tests positive

By Alisha Evans
Bay of Plenty Times·
17 Feb, 2022 08:40 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The teacher, who works a BestStart Ōmokoroa, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. Photo / Supplied

The teacher, who works a BestStart Ōmokoroa, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. Photo / Supplied

LDR_STRAP

A teacher at a Western Bay of Plenty childcare centre has tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the closure of the centre.

The teacher, who works at BestStart Ōmokoroa, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, BestStart Deputy CEO Fiona Hughes confirmed.

"BestStart immediately made arrangements to close the centre and are working with the Ministry of Education and Public Health on the steps that need to be taken," Hughes said.

This is the third exposure at a BestStart centre in the past month.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A parent from the company's Pyes Pā centre was infectious during a visit on January 19, meaning there were 59 children and 15 staff identified as close contacts.

On January 30, a teacher from the BestStart McDonald St centre in Mount Maunganui tested positive.

In this instance, there were 44 children and 12 staff at the facility at the time.

For both of these exposure events, the centres were closed and deep cleans conducted, said Hughes.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When asked if the current exposure is linked to the other centres, Hughes told Local Democracy Reporting there was no link between them.

"We understand that it may be linked to another case in the Ōmokoroa community," she said.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board community based testing lead Aroha Tito has provided advice on testing for children.

"We can offer children an oropharyngeal (throat) swab at community testing centres.

Discover more

Well-known Tauranga identity leaves 'amazing legacy'

20 Feb 08:00 PM

Covid-19: Two thirds of Bay of Plenty DHB area boosted, Rats may soon be available

21 Feb 05:00 PM

"However, nasal swabs (or PCR tests) are the preferred test for Covid-19."

She said a throat swab may also be requested by a health practitioner if someone is experiencing problems receiving the preferred nasal swab.

"Testing is still a crucial tool in our response to Covid-19," Tito said.

"We continue to urge anyone with symptoms, anyone who has visited a location of interest a time notified, or if you have been asked to seek a test, to get tested."

Currently, there are 209 active cases of Covid-19 in the Bay of Plenty, with 29 new cases announced by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

The ministry does not give more detailed information about where the cases are in the region for privacy reasons.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

- Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

18 Jun 06:04 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

18 Jun 05:23 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

18 Jun 06:04 AM

Police arrested 20 Greazy Dogs members over alleged meth crimes in Bay of Plenty.

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

18 Jun 05:23 AM
Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

18 Jun 03:00 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP