Covid-19 tests rose in Hawke's Bay after Napier child tested positive upon arrival in Japan. Photo / File
Covid-19 tests rose in Hawke's Bay after Napier child tested positive upon arrival in Japan. Photo / File
Thirteen times as many Hawke's Bay residents were tested for Covid-19 the day after a child from Napier tested positive on arrival in Japan than the day before.
Fewer than 10 Covid-19 tests were carried out across the region on October 26. The following day (October 27), 130 Covidtests were taken.
The steep increase in testing coincided with the announcement of a child who returned a weak-positive test upon arrival in Japan on October 23, despite testing negative before leaving New Zealand.
A statement from the Hawke's Bay District Health Board was released on October 26. HBDHB medical officer of health Nick Jones said Covid-19 testing numbers had been "slightly up in the past couple of days".
The child was on board an Air New Zealand flight from Napier to Auckland (flight NZ5018) on October 22 and had been attending a childcare centre in Napier.
The childcare centre remains open while health authorities continue to investigate.
The second biggest peak in the number of Covid-19 tests in the last month in Hawke's Bay occurred on October 17 - the day the Ken Rei ship was denied entry into Napier Port. Photo / Warren Buckland
The second biggest peak in the number of Covid-19 tests in the region in the last month occurred on October 17 – the day the Ken Rei ship was denied entry into Napier Port and a day after an Auckland port worker tested positive.
Over 110 tests were carried out on October 17. Just 12 tests were carried out the following day (October 18).
Crew aboard the logging ship were tested on Wednesday. The Ministry of Health said all crew members had returned negative test results for a second time.
Jones said the best thing to do if concerned about Covid-19 is to get tested to "protect" your family and community.
"With level 1, there was potential for rapid spread at large gatherings and it was essential people continued to follow the key advice of staying home if they were sick and getting tested with any symptoms of Covid-19," he said.
"We have all seen how the quick actions of one person with Covid-19 in Auckland, who sought a test early and self-isolated, protected the community and prevented any wider lockdown."
A HBDHB spokeswoman said the last week of testing also included the 21 crew from the Ken Rei ship. The ship departed Napier on Thursday and headed for Tauranga.
Testing centres are operating in Napier, Hastings, Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay. If you have cold or flu symptoms, you need to stay home and get yourself tested for Covid-19.
The symptoms include a cough, high temperature of at least 38C, shortness of breath, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose and temporary loss of smell.
