Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Northland's alert level at risk with four positive Covid cases in the region

Covid-19 made a return to the South Island on Saturday as 104 community cases of Covid-19 were reported including two under 12's in Northland. Video / NZ Herald

Northland's alert level status is hanging by a thread after two new Covid-19 cases in the region - children under 12 - announced today, take the region's total in the Delta outbreak to four.

Northland health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and tested after four Covid 19 cases have been confirmed in Northland. As well the Ministry of Health has identified seven locations of interest in Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Opononi, Kaihu and Rawene.

Today's two new cases follow two announced on Friday afternoon.

Northland DHB (NDHB) is strongly encouraging people to get vaccinated and tested, following confirmation of four confirmed positive Covid-19 cases in Northland. All four cases are related to each other and the two newest cases are children under 12 years old.

Northland is still under Covid alert level 2, but that could change if more cases emerge and close contact numbers expand.

However, the DHB says support has been put in place for the whanau, who have worked cooperatively with the Public Health team to identify locations of interest.

Locations of interest for Northland have been updated on the Ministry of Health website (https://www.health.govt.nz/) this morning and further locations are expected to be added later today.

Parua Bay Tavern closed on Friday after one staff member self-isolated due to having contact with a confirmed Covid 19 case outside of work. All staff who have been self-isolating have tested negative for Covid 19.

Parua Bay Tavern is not a place of interest and will reopen tomorrow.

In response to the active cases in the region the DHB's Hospital Visitor Policy has also been updated for Whangārei, Kaitaia, Dargaville and Bay of Islands Hospitals.

The current policy states that one support person can accompany patients who are receiving end of life care, children, or women who are in labour. Visitors must wear a mask and visitor screening is in place at all hospital entrances.

NDHB Incident Controller Sarah Hoyle said that having active cases in the region is an important reminder for everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against Covid 19 as soon as possible.

"It is also important that anyone who has been at a location of interest, or who has cold and flu symptoms, gets a test," she said.

Community Based Testing Centres and Vaccination Clinics are open around Northland over the weekend. For further information about sites and opening times, people should check the Healthpoint website: www.healthpoint.co.nz.

Three days after Northland exited a shock snap lockdown another bombshell was dropped on Friday with news of two positive Covid-19 cases and a possible third, all in Northland.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Friday revealed two people were isolating near Kaikohe after testing positive for the virus on Wednesday, October 20.

One of those individuals - a mother - wrote a Facebook post to explain how she travelled to Auckland on October 16 to bring her daughter home after the school holidays.

She said they had a travel exemption and she had received a negative Covid test in the three days prior.

While in Auckland she returned a second negative Covid test so she was able to return to the Kaikohe area.

"I picked up my daughter and mokos to bring them home, they too had their test - negative," she said.

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"With all our results and proof of residence we came home."

Then on October 19, the woman received a call to inform her an Auckland family member, who her daughter had been in contact with, had tested positive.

"...so we isolated straight away and went for testing," she said.

"This is a hard time for my family, and would appreciate some understanding. But it is the most important to me to let our community know so that no one else is treated like a suspect!"

"We have done everything required and shared all our Covid tracing app details with the ministry of health."

The Ministry confirmed the woman and her daughter were in no way linked to the earlier cases who visited Northland.

Rawene's Boatshed Cafe is a new location of interest in the Covid Delta outbreak in Northland, which now has four confirmed cases of the virus.

Locations of interest related to Northland's four Covid 19 cases:

■ Kaihu, GAS Kaihu, 2906 State Highway 12, Sunday, October 17, 4.15 pm - 4.30pm.

■ Kaikohe, Countdown, 37 Station Rd, Tuesday, October 19, 4.15 pm - 5.30 pm.

■ Kaikohe, Mobil, 19 Broadway, Tuesday, October 19, 5.15pm - 5.45pm.

■ Kaitaia, The Warehouse, 2 North Park Dr, Wednesday October 20, 10.45am - 11.05am.

■ Kaitaia, Hunting and Fishing, 11 North Park Drive, Wednesday October 20, 11am -
11.30 am.

■ Opononi, Four Square, 29 Hokianga Harbour Dr, Thursday October 21, 3.30pm - 3.45pm.

■ Rawene, Boatshed Cafe, 8 Clendon Esplanade, Friday, October 22, 10am - 10.30am.

If you were at any of these places at the relevant times you should:

Self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 14 days after you were exposed at this location of interest. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result and until 24 hours after symptoms resolve.