Up to 100 people could be isolating as a result of close contact with the man who tested positive for Omicron and spent time in the community.
Video / NZ Herald
Top international DJs have been forced to pull out of New Year's Eve festivals after being named as close contacts of the British DJ revealed as New Zealand's first community case of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The chart-topping DJ Dimension - whose real name is Robert Etheridge – says heis "devastated" to learn he had tested positive for the highly transmissible new variant after arriving in the country.
He says he has copped "hate and abuse" after his initial public post confirming his status but says he was following Government rules.
Etheridge, a UK-based electronic music artist who is one of several people who have been granted special visas to enter New Zealand despite current border closures, was due to perform at Rhythm & Alps near Wānaka before he abruptly pulled out not long before he was due to take the stage.
Before heading south, he spent several hours in the community on Boxing Day - visiting a number of Auckland hotspots, including a nightclub and bar, restaurants and a jewellery store.
The visiting artist posted a picture taken on Christmas Day at an Auckland beach with two dogs.
The festive photo, which has since been removed from social media, sends Christmas greetings from New Zealand and gives thanks for an amazing year in which his album reached the top of the UK Dance Charts.
Now, it's been revealed that four other acts have had to pull out of performing at festivals after discovering they've become close contacts.
They include British drum and bass DJ and record producer James Pountney, aka Culture Shock, English DJ and drum and base producer Ed Keeley, aka Friction, Kiwi drum and bass duo Lee Mvtthews, aka Graham Matthews and Tom Lee, and George FM Drive co-host and DJ Sin Howard.
Rhythm & Alps this afternoon revealed the acts that will replace the Covid-caught performers.
Kiwi legends Fat Freddy's Drop are on their way after performing at Summer Haze in Tauranga last night to take over the Alpine Arena main stage tomorrow night.
"Freddy's are feeling very rock'n'roll to be off the bench at a minute's notice and onto the starting line-up," says band member Chris "Mu" Faiumu.
Fat Freddy's Drop has stepped up to perform at Rhythm & Alps tomorrow night. Photo / Supplied
Kiwi drum & bass titans The Upbeats will close the Alpine Arena and new festival additions Rubi Du and MC Slave step up onto the Sonarchy Stage and Nice Girl will perform in the Lost Cabin. Trei is now scheduled to perform on New Year's Eve on the Sonarchy Stage.
"We expected the unexpected and the safety of our audience, staff and other artists is paramount," said festival director Alex Turnbull.
"We believe we have a world-class line-up to deliver in the true 'Be good humans' spirit of R&A.
"As we all learn to live in a Covid-19 world, safety for our festival and the people of Aotearoa needs to be at the forefront of our response.
"We are relieved that any possible cases have been handled quickly, that the situation is being taken very seriously, and the people involved are now safely in isolation."
The Rhythm and Alps music festival in the Cardrona Valley has had a major line-up reshuffle. Photo / George Heard
There are 14 close contacts who were at dinner with the case. Six flew via charter plane to the South Island to perform at the festival.
"All of them are isolating," Hipkins said.
Sin was scheduled to take the stage at Rhythm and Alps tonight.
But the gutted performer announced on social media this morning that her plans have been scuppered.
"I'm angry and heartbroken," she said on Instagram.
"I have been named as a close contact of the new Omicron variant and will be self-isolating for the next seven days and following the rules to ensure the safety of our people."
She also acknowledged "the amount of artists who have been stripped of their livelihoods in the last 24 hours".
Friction aka Keeley was due to headline Rhythm and Alps alongside DJ Dimension.
DJ Dimension posted this photo of himself on a beach in New Zealand over Christmas. Photo / Instagram
But last night, Keeley announced on social media he's also pulling out after becoming a close contact of a "potential Covid case".
"The safety of everyone at the event, as well as the whole of New Zealand is the most important thing to me above everything," said Keeley, who played at Hidden Lakes Festival in Christchurch on Tuesday.
"I'm absolutely heartbroken but promise I will see you all very soon."
Duo Lee Mvtthews also spoke of their upset at pulling out of the Summer Haze festival in Tauranga last night and R&A tonight.
They told of their "upset", saying they have never pulled out of a show over the past decade.
Etheridge, aka DJ Dimension, is a recent arrival from the United Kingdom and the first person infected with Omicron who has been active in the community in New Zealand.
"I cannot put into words how extremely sorry I am to everyone who will be impacted," Etheridge said on Wednesday night.
"Never in a million years did I think anything like this would be a reality in a country that I love so much and that has always made me feel so welcome."
Early this morning, the DJ added a fresh post to Instagram saying: "For clarity, photos uploaded on social media on 25th December were taken at a private address which was approved by the Department of Health prior to my arrival.
"As a result of my name being revealed in the media, I received many comments of hate and abuse, therefore I felt the need to remove the post in that moment."
"I want to reiterate my apologies to those who I have inadvertently put at risk as a result of my misunderstandings. I realise the gravity of the situation and I am deeply regretful to those who have been impacted; including members of the public, event organisers and close contacts."
A Ministry of Health spokesperson earlier told the Herald the infected person did not wait for a negative test result before they left the place they were self-isolating.
Etheridge arrived in New Zealand on December 16, from the UK via Doha. The Ministry of Health said he had returned three negative tests and left MIQ to self-isolate for three days on December 23.
He took his day-nine Covid test on Christmas Day, December 25, but rather than wait to get his test result back before leaving self-isolation, he went shopping and clubbing in Auckland.
Among the places he visited while infected were the Impala nightclub in central Auckland, and Soul bar.
Earlier on Boxing Day, he spent approximately four hours in the Commercial Bay Precinct - visiting a jewellery store and two restaurants - between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, and again between 6.30pm and 8pm.
Etheridge received his positive test result on December 27.
Organisers of Rhythm & Alps last night said they were "absolutely gutted" that artists have had to pull out after being deemed close contacts of a positive Covid-19 case.
