No Community Cases; 3 Historical Cases Of COVID-19 In Managed Isolation; Taranaki Wastewater Update

There are no cases of COVID-19 to report in the community or in managed isolation in New Zealand today.

There are three historical cases of COVID-19 to report today in recent returnees in managed isolation facilities.

Five previously reported cases have now recovered. The number of active cases in New Zealand is 54.

Since 1 January 2021, there have been 108 historical cases, out of a total of 690 cases.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is seven.

Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,507.

Historical cases identified at the border

* This case was initially reported as a case on Saturday. This case was subsequently reclassified yesterday as ‘under investigation’ and has today been confirmed as a historical case.

** These cases travelled together

One case, reported on Saturday, who arrived in New Zealand on 22 July from the United Kingdom via Qatar, was previously reported in the UK, and as a result has now been removed from our confirmed case tally.

Another case, reported yesterday, who arrived in New Zealand on 22 July from the United Kingdom via Qatar has been reclassified as ‘under investigation’ while it is determined if this case is historical.

Response to PCR wastewater results

All test results currently processed for New Plymouth from Friday, Saturday and some of Sunday are negative. A total of 160 swabs were taken in New Plymouth yesterday. Around a quarter of these have been processed and returned negative results.

There remain a number of results that are pending from swabs taken yesterday that are expected later today.

A preliminary result, from an early wastewater sample taken for around two thirds of the usual 24 hour sampling time, has come back with no further COVID-19 detected. Results from wastewater samples taken over a wider area in Taranaki are expected tomorrow.

The Ministry is continuing to strongly encourage anyone in Taranaki with symptoms, or recent arrivals from Australia with or without symptoms who’ve recently visited Taranaki to be tested.

This follows two positive wastewater results detected in Taranaki late last week (20 and 22 July) which could be due to recently recovered cases continuing to shed the virus, or could signal undetected cases in the community.

In order to determine whether there are any undetected cases the Ministry is recommending anyone in Taranaki, or who has visited recently, and who has symptoms to get tested.

Additional testing capacity remains open in New Plymouth to support potential demand.

The Ministry is recommending that any recent arrivals from Australia, who have symptoms, also get tested, and anyone who has recently been in Australia who is now in Taranaki to get tested even if they don’t have symptoms.

People who have recently been in Australia should continue to check the State websites for locations of interest as new locations of interest continue to be identified.

Anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should call Healthline (

0800 358 5453

) for advice on getting a test.

For Taranaki testing locations please visit

the Taranaki DHB website

.

For a list of all testing locations nationwide

visit the Healthpoint website

.

Mattina Update

There has been no change since the update provided yesterday on MS Mattina.

The ship remains in quarantine in Bluff and is inaccessible by the public. Every safety precaution has been taken to ensure the public health risk, which has been deemed low, remains that way.

Playa Zahara

The crew of the Playa Zahara are now all recovered and no one remains onshore in managed isolation.

The fishing vessel remains in quarantine at Lyttelton Port.

Viking Bay

Fourteen of the 20 crew members are now back aboard the Viking Bay, which remains in quarantine at Queens Wharf in Wellington.

Six of the crew members remain in managed isolation in Wellington.

Testing

The total number of COVID-19 tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,441,651.

On Sunday, 2,844 tests were processed across New Zealand.

The seven-day rolling average is 5,704.

For all testing locations nationwide

visit the Healthpoint website

.

NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,905,626 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 312,301,937 and users have created 12,217,461 manual diary entries.

There have been 540,512 scans in the last 24 hours to midday yesterday.

Using the NZ COVID Tracer app on your smartphone remains one of the most important ways New Zealanders can keep themselves safe from COVID-19. Please continue to use the app and scan in wherever you go, by using the QR Codes.

This helps you to keep a record of where you’ve been, and it helps contract tracers in the event of a community case somewhere in the country.

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