Patricia Dargaville takes a forehead temperature reading at Rawene's Covid-19 testing station. Photo / Tania Whyte
Patricia Dargaville takes a forehead temperature reading at Rawene's Covid-19 testing station. Photo / Tania Whyte
Northland District Health Board says the risk of Northlanders contracting Covid-19 is very low after a visitor to Kiwi North tested positive for the virus.
The visitor, who was asymptomatic but registered a positive test on arrival back in their home country recently, visited Kiwi North in Maunu on July28 between 1-4pm.
Northland District Board public health medicine specialist Dr Bart Willems said yesterday there was very low risk of exposure to others and confirmed people who visited Kiwi North on July 28 between 1-4pm would have developed symptoms before yesterday as the virus' incubation period was 14 days.
Willems urged anyone who had visited Kiwi North during that time and had developed symptoms to get tested and isolate themselves at home until they received their result.
For those who had not developed symptoms, Willems said they were welcome to be tested if they were concerned. He recommended calling Healthline, 0800 611 116, for more advice.
For information on Northland's community testing centres, visit the DHB website www.northlanddhb.org.nz.
Allie Fry, Kiwi North's director of operations, said she was confident there was no risk to staff or visitors after the man visited 22 days ago.
''The DHB is not asking our staff to get tested unless they feel sick with symptoms. None of us have had any symptoms in all that time, so it's business as usual for us and we are open as usual,'' Fry said.
She said Kiwi North is deep cleaned at the end of every day and cleaning goes on throughout the day.
Fry said the man was not symptomatic for Covid-19 while he was in Whangārei.
"We can't really recall the man's visit, but we are just so pleased he recalled that he had been ... it must have been a memorable visit,'' she said.
Health officials say there is little risk to the public after a man who visited Kiwi North, in Whangārei on July 28, tested positive for Covid-19 when he returned to his home country. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Meanwhile, Hokianga residents are feeling protected from Covid-19 but hope people can remain vigilant in stopping the virus from spreading north.
By the end of Tuesday, 4804 Covid-19 tests had been conducted across Northland since August 10, 1213 of which had been done on August 13 - the day after the country moved to alert level 2 and Auckland moved to alert level 3.
Forty-three per cent of people tested in Northland so far were Māori.
Staff at Rawene's Covid-19 testing station, Tina Quitta (left), Patricia Dargaville and Maryanne Connor. Photo / Tania Whyte
While Kohukohu resident Peter Kilby, 71, was concerned by the country going back to alert level 2, he believed the Hokianga community could accommodate the restrictions quite easily.
"It's not difficult for us to go into quite a rigorous lockdown as we did orginially."
Kohukohu resident Peter Kilby, seen here with his retired farm dog Tip, feels safe to be living in the Hokianga as opposed to his former home of Auckland. Photo / Tania Whyte
The former Auckland resident said during the initial Covid-19 lockdown earlier this year, he was blown away by efforts made by the local community.
"You feel quite safe here because you feel like you're surrounded by love," he said.
"You've got iwi roadblocks and if you're over 70, you get food parcels turning up, and the doctors and nurses phone you up and ask if you're okay."
Phoebe, a Rangi Point resident, said she was grateful for those who coordinated security measures such as roadblocks, and urged people to stay vigilant.
"I think it's really important that our health service and police service are very vigilant because it only takes one [person] and we've got a very small health system here and we all live in very remote areas," she said.
"I have two very vulnerable people in my household so it's really important that we stay vigilant, we are very dependant on others to keep us informed."
Originally from Motuti, Pauline had travelled north from her home in Papakura, Auckland, on August 11 for a funeral and had stayed in the Hokianga since.
The 40-year-old considered herself quite lucky to have travelled north when she did and had no firm plans regarding a return to Auckland.
For the Hokianga Health Enterprise Trust hospital in Rawene, a return to alert level 2 meant a return to rigorous infection control procedures to ensure the safety of the facility's aged care residents.
Hokianga Health Enterprise Trust chief executive John Wigglesworth has increased infection control efforts at the Rawene hospital in alert level 2. Photo / Tania Whyte
Trust chief executive John Wigglesworth said while people were understandably nervous at the virus' return, he was glad to see the necessary protective measures in place.
"I can see that [the Government] has got good controls in place and contact tracing."
At a local level, more appointments that would have been done in person at the Rawene hospital were being conducted over the phone, which Wigglesworth said could be a more convenient method to access healthcare.
"It's really cool because it means that people don't have to come in if they don't have to, which means they can avoid transport."
John Wigglesworth believes the staff's knowledge of their community is a real asset in providing them appropriate healthcare. Photo / Tania Whyte
While he was aware of how a Covid-19 outbreak in the Hokianga would stretch the hospital's resources, Wigglesworth said their knowledge of the community was a valuable asset.
"We have that really good link with our community, we know our community really well, so we are able to respond to their needs, a bit different from an urban community where you don't know everybody."
