Adult at junior cricket camps in Hawke's Bay tests positive for Covid-19

A positive Covid case has been linked to a junior cricket event in Hawke's Bay.

An adult discovered they had returned a positive Covid-19 test result while at Hawke's Bay's annual junior cricket camps.

Hawke's Bay Cricket Association said on Monday the adult, who received a positive test result on Sunday afternoon, is "associated" with a team that travelled to the region for the annual junior cricket camps.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the case was identified at the tournament and they had since returned to their ordinary place of residence outside Hawke's Bay with a number of close contacts to self-isolate.

The camps are hugely popular and run over multiple weeks in Hawke's Bay, attracting junior teams from outside the region. Last year, the camps - run over three weeks - attracted over 180 teams and 2000 players.

The case and their close contacts did not participate in a cricket game, the ministry said.

"Other than the identified close contacts, the risk of onward transmission is considered to be low, and other people at the tournament are not required to take any further action.

"A location of interest is only published if contact tracers believe there is a risk of transmission and do not know who was at the exposure site at the specific time.

"At this stage, a location of interest at the cricket tournament is not expected."

Anyone with any symptoms that could be Covid-19 is asked to get a test, and then self-isolate at home until they receive a negative test result.

HBCA chief executive Craig Findlay said it had been notified of a positive case of Covid for one of the adults associated with a team visiting the region for the summer cricket camps."

"The association was informed [on Sunday] afternoon as soon as the person received the news.

"HBCA has a robust Covid plan in place for the camps which was clearly communicated to all teams and officials prior to attending the camps.

"It continues to rely on all participants to abide by the protocols to ensure the tournaments are run successfully."

Cricket games were still being played at grounds around Hawke's Bay on Monday as part of the cricket camp.

"We understand that all parties associated with the case are self isolating and that appropriate measures have been put in place to reduce any further impact to the cricket and wider community," Findlay said.

Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of Health announced that two Hawke's Bay residents had caught and tested positive for Covid-19 while in Waikato, and were isolating in a town south of Hamilton.

The two cases are linked to other reported cases in Waikato and both cases are currently isolating in Te Kūiti.

There are no known exposure events associated with the cases in Hawke's Bay.

"Neither of the cases reported in the update today with Hawke's Bay addresses were in Hawke's Bay while infectious," a Ministry of Health spokesman said.

"There are no active Covid-19 cases isolating in Hawke's Bay."

There were 27 new cases of Covid in the community announced on Monday across the country.

That included Auckland (16), Waikato (5), Bay of Plenty (2), Lakes (1), Wellington (1) and the two cases listed above.

The last recorded community cases of Covid-19 in Hawke's Bay were announced on December 30 and 31, relating to two positive cases.

Despite that Covid scare, which included multiple exposure sites being listed in Napier, it had not resulted in an outbreak or any further cases in Hawke's Bay.