The latest community Covid-19 patient is highly likely to have caught the disease directly from a person on the same floor as her in managed isolation.
In a news briefing this afternoon, minister in charge of the Covid-19 response Chris Hipkins said genomic testing has shown the 56-year-old woman has the South African variant of the disease (B.1.3.5.1.) and that it is identical to another person staying on the same floor as her at the Pullman Hotel.
That person tested positive shortly before the woman left the hotel at the end of her stay. Early information suggests the transmission occurred between 9 January and 13 January.
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Cars were lined up for about a kilometre at the Marsden Point testing centre around midday.
Kylie Moore, from Ruakākā, was at the front of the testing line. The 46-year-old had been waiting since 8.30am and was just getting tested at midday.
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She said she was fortunate she brought lunch with her but said she felt sorry for a lot of the older people in the community who were waiting in their cars in hot Northland weather.
She said the wait was a bit frustrating and questioned why there weren t more testing stations open to account for the demand. It doesn t seem very well organised.
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The Ministry of Health can today confirm that the woman who recently travelled from overseas and completed their stay in managed isolation in the Pullman.