Covid 19 coronavirus: Calls to Healthline s hotline spike following Northland case
25 Jan, 2021 04:51 AM
6 minutes to read
NZ Herald
Calls to Healthline s dedicated Covid-19 information line have more than quadrupled in recent days, leading to increased wait times for callers.
A 56-year-old woman from Northland tested positive for Covid-19 after completing the required 14 days of managed isolation at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland.
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Before developing symptoms, she travelled to a number of places around the southern part of Northland.
A full list of those locations, including two new shops - Carpet Court and Farmers in Whangarei - is at the bottom of this story.
International travel and managed isolation The woman departed New Zealand late last year and travelled through Spain and the Netherlands. While she was in the Netherlands she was in contact with family members who later tested positive for the virus. She departed London, travelling via Singapore, and arrived in Auckland on December 30. The woman completed her two-week stint in managed isolation at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland. During this time, she was tested twice – on January 2 and January 10 – and both tests returned negative results. This woman was given the all clear and left the facility on January 13. There were around 600 guests at the hotel at the same time as this woman. Around 13 people tested positive during that time, some with the more virulent strain.
The new community case of Covid-19 in Northland has locals worried about another community outbreak.
The Kauri Museum in Matokohe, one of dozens of sites visited by the covid-positive woman.
Photo: Liu Chen
Many are rushing to get tested and some have stockpiled food to get ready for any alert level change. Some say they ll be more prudent with the tracer app and masking.
The Four Square supermarket in Maungaturoto, just to the west of Brynderwyn, was quieter than normal after a brief visit of the 56-year-old woman.
Some shoppers have already masked up and others said they have one ready to go. Staff members have been reminding people to sign in by pen and paper or scan the Covid Tracer app.
Covid 19 coronavirus: Northland iwi leaders to meet today to discuss latest case
25 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
3 minutes to read
Susan Botting is the Local Democracy Reporter for Northlandsusan.botting@northernadvocate.co.nz
Northland iwi leaders will meet today in the wake of New Zealand s first new Covid-19 community case since November.
Te Kahu o Taonui, the Northland Iwi Chairs Forum will meet by Zoom at noon.
Harry Burkhardt, Te Kahu o Taonui chairman, said the group of 11 iwi leaders would be meeting, with other organisations invited including Northland District Health Board, police, Civil Defence and the Ministry of Social Development.
Te Kahu o Taonui played a key role in Northland s 2020 Covid-19 response.
Queensland has been put on high alert after coronavirus was found in sewage at a string of wastewater treatment plants, including three in Brisbane.
Viral fragments of the virus were detected at facilities in the state capital, as well as those servicing Hervey Bay - such as one in Maryborough.
In total, seven plants showed evidence of the virus - Caboolture South, Oxley Creek, Bundamba, Gibson Island, Luggage Point, Maryborough and Pulgul.
While it is not unexpected for the virus to be detected in Brisbane s waters, due to infections in hotel quarantine, the other plants are a cause for concern.