Covid 19 coronavirus: Two mariners test positive, isolating on boat off the coast of Taranaki

Two of nine mariners on a deep sea fishing vessel off the coast of Taranaki have tested positive for Covid-19. Photo / 123rf

Two mariners on a boat off the coast of Taranaki have tested positive for Covid-19.

The pair were part of a group of nine mariners who arrived in Auckland on Monday and were taken to the deep-sea fishing vessel in New Plymouth.

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The Ministry of Health has identified two people who work at the port and a driver who transported the mariners to New Plymouth as contacts. They are now isolating.

"Health authorities in Taranaki and Auckland will be following up and all three will receive their routine tests while in isolation."

Health officials deemed the current risk to public health as low "due to standard infection prevention controls".

All nine mariners provided negative Covid-19 test results before travelling to New Zealand.

The group arrived at Auckland Airport's international terminal from a Southeast Asian country where they were tested again.

Just how long they were inside the airport terminal is being investigated by health authorities.

Other passengers on their plane are considered contacts but as it was a "red flight" all passengers were now in a managed isolation facility where they would undergo standard testing on day 0, 5 and 12, the ministry said.

On the way to New Plymouth, the group stopped at a scheduled toilet stop at a managed isolation facility in Hamilton.

There were no associated locations of interest at this stage.

The vessel had now left New Plymouth and was in international waters off the coast of Taranaki.

All nine mariners were still onboard and isolating.

Health authorities were reviewing the mariners' flight and airport movements as part of the contact-tracing process.

"Due to the standard infection prevention controls and other precautions taken there is minimal additional risk to any of the contacts during the transfer process."