Covid 19 coronavirus: Three new cases in managed isolation, Perth lockdown traveller investigation continues

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield provides a Covid-19 update. Photo/Mark Mitchell

There are three new Covid cases to report today in managed isolation facilities.

Two of the three new cases came from Pakistan before the restriction on travel from there took effect yesterday. The origin of the third case was yet to be determined, the Ministry of Health said in today's update.

There are currently 23 active Covid cases in this country.

Meanwhile officials are continuing their investigation into a traveller from Perth who flew to New Zealand despite the lockdown in Western Australia.

The man managed to board a Sydney-bound plane in Perth while the city was in lockdown and then travel on to Auckland.

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Today it was revealed border agency systems matched the name of the traveller to his original destination before he landed in New Zealand, however by the time it was confirmed the plane had been on the ground for an hour and he had already left the airport.

If charged, he could face a $4000 fine or six months in jail.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins last week announced that New Zealand permanent residents would not be allowed to travel home directly from India, Brazil, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea as of today.

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New Zealand permanent residents in those four countries will have to spend at least 14 days in a non-very-high risk country before returning home.

New Zealand citizens will still be allowed to travel directly back from any country.

The new rules were expected to reduce the number of travellers from those countries by 75 per cent. It also means there will be about 140 fewer arrivals per week from India compared to the period from March 1 until mid-April.

Yesterday there were two new cases of Covid-19 reported in managed isolation - one from the United States and one from Japan.

Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall yesterday said about 232,000 vaccines had been administered in New Zealand so far.

There have been 172,564 people who have had first doses, and about 60,024 who have had both doses.

In the past seven days, there were 47,981 vaccine doses administered.

She said there were enough doses to vaccinate the whole country, although some people would have to be patient.

As of yesterday, 95 per cent of MIQ workers had been vaccinated. Those who were unvaccinated would be redeployed from the front line from the end of the month.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said 488 early vaccination applications had been received from Sport NZ and included Black Caps and Olympians. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had also made seven applications.