Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Business as usual at Queenstown holiday park after positive case visit

The owner of a Queenstown holiday park says he is able to operate "business as usual" after the park was announced as a close contact location of interest this week. Photo / Supplied

The owner of a Queenstown holiday park says he is able to operate "business as usual" after the park was announced as a close contact location of interest this week.

Those who visited Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park in Arthurs Point on January 9 and 10, between 12am and 11.45pm, and on January 11, between 12am and 9.45pm, are being asked to self-isolate and to get a Covid-19 test both straight away, and get another test five days after their date of exposure.

The park's owner, Steve Edwards, said they had been working with Ministry of Health on Monday and the camp"s staff were classed as casual contacts and so were tested for Covid-19 yesterday.

He said the business had carried out all Ministry of Health instructions and deep cleaning protocols as soon as possible and was undertaking a review of internal systems "to ensure we continue to follow to exceed best practice standards".

"We were never deemed high-risk due to the time elapsed since the [Covid] positive guests left ... any seven-day stand-down period is over."

Edwards said he was hoping for lots more guests to stay in Queenstown this summer.

"At the end of the day, these guests came into the park, stayed in their camper van, and by all accounts had a good time.

"The fact that they brought Covid with them is very unfortunate. However, as long as we as an industry and country have done our utmost to prepare and be ready for guests in this situation, what more can we do?

"We cannot just shut up shop, we must remain positive about the future and have faith in our fellow countrypersons that they are doing the right thing."

The Ministry of Health would not directly comment on the seriousness of the case in Queenstown but said close contact locations of interest are published if there is a higher risk of transmission, based on several factors including infectiousness, mask-use, physical distancing and environment.

"The Ministry of Health asks people in Queenstown to remain vigilant - everyone should stick to the basics to reduce the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19," a Ministry of Health spokesman said.