Woman forced into WA hotel quarantine after trans-Tasman bubble breach

A Cook Islands woman has been placed in hotel quarantine after arriving in Perth from New Zealand without completing two weeks’ quarantine beforehand.

Under the trans-Tasman bubble rules, anyone arriving from New Zealand who previously travelled there from overseas must have quarantined for two weeks before flying to Western Australia.

A welcome back sign at Auckland International Airport to celebrate the quarantine-free Australia and New Zealand travel bubble.Credit: Bloomberg

“The Department of Health is aware of a woman from the Cook Islands who arrived from Auckland to Perth today without spending two weeks in quarantine in New Zealand,” a statement from WA Health on Friday said.

“The Department of Health has advised that the woman would be transported to a Perth quarantine hotel. She will undergo a COVID-19 test while in quarantine.”

WA Health said it was unlikely the woman was infected with COVID-19, given the World Health Organisation has reported the Cook Islands had not recorded any cases throughout the pandemic.

“Remaining passengers on board the flight NZ175 were allowed to disembark and were processed in the usual way,” it said.

WA Health will publicly report the woman’s test result.

The trans-Tasman bubble is a two-way quarantine-free travel arrangement between New Zealand and Australia that started earlier this month following both countries’ continued success in suppressing COVID-19.