No new community cases; 3 new cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation

Media release

21 May 2021

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

There are three new cases to report in recent returnees in managed isolation facilities since yesterday.

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

Four previously reported cases have now recovered. The total number of active cases in New Zealand today is 23.

Our total number of confirmed cases is 2,306.

Since 1 January 2021, there have been 62 historical cases, out of a total of 490 cases.

One previously announced confirmed case, now recovered, has been reclassified as historical.

New border cases

Arrival date   

From   

Via   

Positive test day/reason   

Managed isolation/
quarantine location   

14 May

India

Qatar

Day 5 / contact of a case

Auckland

19 May

United Kingdom

United Arab Emirates

Day 0 / routine

Auckland

19 May

Qatar

Direct flight

Day 0 / routine

Auckland

Wastewater test results update 

Wastewater testing continues to be a part of New Zealand’s testing and surveillance strategy in the fight against COVID-19. Recently, weak positive results were detected in Wellington, Christchurch, Rotorua and Queenstown. The Ministry’s assessment of these results is that there is a low risk to the New Zealand community.

We reported yesterday that subsequent testing from Queenstown and Wellington have returned negative results. We can now report subsequent testing for Rotorua returned a negative result.

We are awaiting the result from further testing in Christchurch and we will report this when available.

The Ministry’s current assessment remains that the weak positive results are likely from recent positive cases in managed isolation or due to recently recovered cases who are not infectious but continue to shed the virus after returning home or while travelling. There is no risk of infection from COVID-19 in wastewater.

It remains really important to New Zealand’s response that anyone displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 stays at home and promptly calls Healthline (0800 358 5453) about getting a test.

Any cases of COVID-19 need to be detected quickly in order to stop the virus spreading in our communities.

Everyone in New Zealand should also continue to use the NZ COVID Tracer app with Bluetooth turned on to keep a record of their movements so they can be recalled quickly if needed by contact tracers.

Also please keep up the hygiene measures that are critical to stopping the spread of the virus – wear a face covering on public transport, wash your hands, and cough or sneeze into your elbow.  

Testing information 

The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,100,168.

Laboratories processed 4,747 tests yesterday. The seven-day rolling average is 3,806.

For all testing locations nationwide visit the Healthpoint website.

This testing data does not include the number of tests processed by Waikato DHB, as systems remain down as a result of the cyber attack earlier this week. This data is still being collected manually and monitored as per our usual protocol. The data will be added to the tally once systems have been restored.

NZ COVID Tracer 

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,827,981 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 271,934,490 and users have created 10,199,182 manual diary entries.

There have been 598,075 scans in the last 24 hours to midday yesterday.

Ministry’s next update 

The Ministry’s next COVID-19 update will be on Sunday at 1pm.

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