Covid 19 coronavirus: Inland Revenue sends 100 staff home as positive tourist case disrupts workplace

Workers from part of one floor in Wellington City's Asteron Centre have been sent home due to the New South Wales traveller Covid scare. Photo / Supplied

One hundred staff who work at the Inland Revenue Department in Wellington have been sent home after they held a meeting at a hotel at the centre of the latest Covid scare.

A spokesperson for the government agency this morning confirmed a large number of staff were now working from home after they were at the Rydges Wellington for a business gathering on Monday.

The Rydges Hotel on Featherston St was announced as a location of interest, with all people at the venue from midnight on June 19 through to 9.10am on June 21 deemed a casual plus contact.

The spokesperson said workers from the department had met at the hotel on Monday morning and as they were now deemed contacts of the positive case they were following Ministry of Health advice to stay home and get a test on day five.

It had left part of one floor of the Asteron Centre tower were working off site from today.

Meanwhile, the list of exposure sites has grown to 14, with cafes and shops added to the growing locations of interest.

It includes the popular Cuba St cafe Floraditas, Highwater Eatery and pizzaria One Red Dog.

Floraditas announced on Instagram it was now closed for a deep clean and fully complying with the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health.

Health authorities were urging Wellingtonians and visitors to the capital last weekend to check the website and continue checking throughout the day.