Additional testing facilities have been set up in Castlecliff, Raetihi and Taihape. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Additional testing facilities have been set up in Castlecliff, Raetihi and Taihape. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The latest Covid-19 outbreak has been brought closer to home with locations of interest emerging in the Whanganui District Health Board region.
Places in Bulls and Waiouru were revealed as locations of interest over the weekend and Rangitīkei district councillor Brian Carter says having a location of interest in yourown backyard puts a bit of reality into the situation.
"Being at that time of the evening that it was, it would be mostly travellers rather than locals in that respect," he said.
"Then you think of the staff that are there and that it happened before we went into lockdown.
"If everyone stays home, it should isolate it in that respect."
Carter said with the 48-hour window for those travelling from home once the country went into lockdown, people who visited the site at the time could be anywhere.
"In the reality of it all, having a location in our backyard, it does change the picture a bit," he said.
"If people around here are getting testing, and someone does test positive, it changes the whole picture again.
"It's a matter of wait and see and making sure self safe, that's all you can do."
The new locations were all visited on Monday, August 16 and are:
• The BP on Bridge St in Bulls between 9.30pm and 10pm.
• The Z Petrol Station in Waiouru on State Highway 1 between 6.30pm and 7pm.
• The Waiouru public toilets at the same time as above.
A Whanganui DHB spokesman said people affected should get tested as soon as possible, as well as those with cold or flu-like symptoms or who had contact with a positive case.
He said the locations of interest did not mean the virus was in the community and people should be reassured that local health services were ready to handle any cases should they arise.
There were close to 300 tests taken across the region on Friday.
Anyone who visited these locations at those times may be a contact of Covid-19 cases in the community.
The Ministry of Health says those who have been at any of these locations of interest during the relevant time are asked to get a test immediately, self-isolate and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
Those who were not at the locations of interest at the relevant time, do not need to be tested.
Testing will be available at Living Waters Medical in Rakau Rd, Castlecliff, from Monday, with a community based assessment centre operating there from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Covid-19 testing is available in Marton, Bulls, Taihape and Ruapehu through local GP clinics and health centres. People who wish to be tested should contact the practices to organise appointments.
The Whanganui DHB has set up additional testing sites as a response, setting up another testing facility at Living Waters Medical on Rakau Rd in Castlecliff and another in Raetihi on Seddon St.
The testing centre in Raetihi is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Testing is also available at Taihape Health, from Monday to Friday.
This is strictly appointment only, with those in or around Taihape asked to call Healthline to book an appointment. Taihape Health's hours are from 10am to 12pm.
The Bulls Medical Centre have also teamed up with the Ohakea Air Base to set up a facility in the town.
The above centres join Whanganui Hospital's CBAC as well as the rear carpark of the Gonville Health Centre, which is open Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm.
No appointments are required for the two drive-through Whanganui testing facilities at the hospital, Gonville Health Centre and Living Waters in Castlecliff.
Anyone unsure of what to do should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
