Coronavirus New Zealand: 12 new cases linked to Auckland cluster

New Zealand has recorded another 13 coronavirus infections, with all but one of the cases linked to a growing Auckland cluster.

New Zealand has recorded another 13 cases of COVID-19, with all but one of the new infections linked to a cluster in Auckland.

Of the nation’s 90 active coronavirus cases, 63 are now linked to the outbreak, director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield told reporters this morning.

While it’s still under investigation, the 13th of today’s new cases is also thought to be linked to the outbreak, which has forced Auckland back under a stage three lockdown to prevent a second wave.

Dr Bloomfield said the cluster is on track to be the biggest New Zealand – thought until last week to have eradicated the virus – has had, partly because it started outside of lockdown and because contact-tracing is now more thorough and efficient than earlier in the pandemic.

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Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield announced 13 new coronavirus infections in New Zealand today. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

A nurse tests members of the public at the Eden Park testing station on August 16 in Auckland. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

While the source of the outbreak is still under investigation, Dr Bloomfield said yesterday one possibility is international flights, as cabin crew are exempt from quarantine rules that passengers must abide by.

“It’s one focus, I wouldn’t say it was the main one,” he said.

“Somehow the virus has come across the border. That could have been human-to-human or contamination of a surface to a human.

“It could be a port, or at an airport or one of the quarantine facilities.”

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters yesterday her focus was to “get to the bottom of this cluster”. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

During today’s briefing, Dr Bloomfield also revealed genome sequencing has shown a positive case – an isolation hotel worker – unconnected to the current cluster, which could indicate a new chain of transmission.

“We don’t know yet,” he told reporters, asked about how the man might have caught COVID-19.

“The man carries out maintenance tasks on the rooms there between bookings, that is following full infection prevention and control and disinfection of the rooms and while wearing appropriate PPE.

“He tested positive – or his positive test returned on August 16 and the genome sequencing indicates his case is not linked to the current outbreak in the community but is most closely linked to a positive case that was in the Rydges and was identified on July 31.”

Officials are now rushing to ring-fence the case through tracing and isolating contacts.