Covid 19 coronavirus: Come forward and get tested in Queenstown, even if you don't have symptoms

Covid testing is under way in Queenstown after a man who travelled to South Korea and tested positive to Covid-19 on arrival had passed through there prior to his flight. Photo / James Allan

People in Queenstown are being asked to come forward and have a Covid-19 test even if they haven't experienced any symptoms.

That plea comes after a person who had been in Queenstown, South Auckland and Christchurch travelled to South Korea where they tested positive for Covid-19.

That person was in South Auckland from June 20 to July 20, Queenstown from July 1 to 4 and in and around Christchurch Airport on July 20 and 21.

While there has not been any evidence of community transmission relating to this person the Ministry of Health is continuing to test widely in these areas.

Around 200 in Auckland have been tested new model community centres in Northcote, Henderson, Grafton and Wiri.

"All tested so far have returned negative results. These centres remain open until 3pm this afternoon and continue to have plenty of capacity."

Canterbury DHB has continued to contact and offer testing to all identified contacts and people in Canterbury who were in the Queenstown region at the same time as the person who has since tested positive in South Korea.

"Testing is available through GPs or from one of three Urgent Care Centres in Christchurch: Riccarton Clinic, 24Hour Surgery or Moorhouse Medical."

Testing at Queenstown Medical Centre has also been ongoing over the weekend, with people responding to the call to be tested if they have developed symptoms since 1 July.

However, the Ministry of Health says numbers tested have been lower than expected so further community testing at a pop-up centre will take place on Tuesday.

"We are especially asking Queenstown locals to come forward, and in particular those who are working in public-facing roles and may have had symptoms during July.

People don't need to have experienced symptoms to be tested in the pop-up centre and they won't need to self-isolate while they await the result of the test."

Yesterday 2401 tests were completed, 2023 of which were from swabs taken in the community, and 378 were taken in managed isolation and quarantine facilities.

This brings the total number of tests completed to date to 470,469.

Yesterday's total is up on the last two Saturdays – on which 1754 and 1365 tests were completed respectively – but the ministry wants to see testing numbers increase.

The ministry also provided context today around two instances, involving female passengers who have travelled from Auckland to Sydney last month and tested positive there.

"The first involves a woman who transited through Auckland from Los Angeles to Sydney on 6 July. At this point there are not considered to be any close contacts who need to be traced or tested but enquiries continue with both the airline and airport.

"The second involves a woman who travelled from Auckland to Sydney on 20 July. We have already talked directly with the person concerned," the ministry said in a statement yesterday.

It appeared as though the person might have been a previously unconfirmed case from March which was likely to have led to the positive test result.

Investigations are ongoing.