A woman who developed Covid-19 in Hawke's Bay visited EIT on two separate occasions. Photo / File
A woman who developed Covid-19 in Hawke's Bay visited EIT on two separate occasions. Photo / File
A young woman with Covid-19 visited the Eastern Institute of Technology in the days before the campus was closed, unaware she had the virus.
The woman in her 20s, one of two newly reported Covid-19 cases in the region on Wednesday, came in contact with a number of EIT staffand students on March 23 and 24.
EIT closed on March 24 and a nationwide lockdown was introduced on Wednesday, March 25, at 11.59pm.
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The woman's case was on Tuesday reported as being under investigation, but has since been listed as a confirmed case.
Hawke's Bay District Health Board said on Wednesday that initial investigations from public health has identified the woman had contact with a number of staff and students at EIT in Taradale, before she became aware of her illness.
Over the coming days both close and identified casual contacts of the woman will be directly contacted by the public health team, with help from EIT.
However, anyone who was at EIT on March 23 and 24 during working hours, and has been unwell with a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, a runny nose or loss of smell should contact their GP or Healthline so an appointment can be made for them to be assessed at a community-based assessment centre.
"As the contact was some time ago, we would expect anyone who was going to develop illness to have already done so – people who have remained well throughout this time can be reassured that, if they have not yet developed any illness, they are unlikely to do so," HBDHB said.
However, Medical Officer of Health Dr Nick Jones said many people might only experience mild illness.
"No matter how mild the illness, it is important to be tested so we can be assured we have tracked down the disease and are able to break the chain of transmission.
"It's important people get tested and I strongly urge anyone with symptoms to do so. It will only take one person to not realise they have Covid-19 and we will be back to square one."
An EIT spokeswoman said its Incident Control Team was put in place on March 16.
"They have been working on being prepared for this and various plans were put in place in preparation as Covid-19 escalated.
"We are reassured that people will have already developed an illness and, if they haven't, they are unlikely to do so.
"We strongly encourage all of our staff and students if they are unwell to contact their GP or call Healthline," she said.
The other new case confirmed on Wednesday is a female in her 20s, who is a contact of a confirmed case. The person has been safely in isolation and household contacts were being followed up by the public health team.
Nationwide the number of Covid-19 cases, as of Wednesday, was 1210, going up by 50, with the 50 cases made up of 26 confirmed and 24 probable.
Forty-one people nationally had recovered in the past 24 hours.
Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there were 4098 tests undertaken on Tuesday, the highest number so far, bringing the total to 46,875.
