New Zealand has recorded its first case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in a recent international arrival who tested positive at a managed isolation facility in Christchurch.
In a statement released this afternoon, the New Zealand Ministry of Health said the person arrived in Auckland from Germany via Dubai on December 10 and flew to the quarantine facility in Christchurch on an aircraft chartered for international arrivals.
“After testing positive, the person was moved from the Crowne Plaza Managed Isolation facility to the Sudima Christchurch Airport dual-use Managed Isolation and Quarantine facility,” the health ministry said.
The infected person is fully vaccinated with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
New Zealand’s Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield said that while the arrival of a new variant is concerning, New Zealand was well-placed to manage Omicron cases.
“We knew it would be a case of when, not if, Omicron arrived on New Zealand’s shores – our health and MIQ teams around the country have been planning for it,” he said.
“With a strong border, we are prepared to detect Omicron cases in international arrivals and manage them appropriately.
“Whole genome sequencing on every COVID-19 case detected at the border remains a critical element in our defence against COVID-19.
“We know how rapidly Omicron has spread globally, so it’s been important to make sure every border case detected undergoes urgent genome sequencing.
“We have been doing everything we can to prepare for Omicron and to keep it out of the community since the variant was first identified.
“Our vaccine rollout remains our key defence against all variants of COVID-19, including Omicron. With 90% of the eligible population now double-dosed, and the booster programme underway, New Zealanders are well protected. We want vaccinations to continue increasing and ask everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.”
Contact tracing is underway to identify passengers who were on the international and domestic flights with the case who has the Omicron variant.
As a precautionary measure, all passengers on the flights with the case are required to complete all 10 days at a managed isolation facility – rather than spending the last three days of their isolation period in self-isolation, the Ministry said.
