Covid-19: Positive case in Palmerston North possibly Omicron

A positive case of Covid-19 has been identified in Palmerston North, with the Ministry of Health saying they possibly have the Omicron variant.

MidCentral District Health Board posted a message on social media on Thursday morning saying one person had been “identified” as having Covid-19.

Investigations were under way into where they had been and any locations of interest.

The ministry said in its Thursday update the person, who tested positive in Palmerston North, possibly had the Omicron variant.

They had come from overseas, testing negative on day nine in MIQ in Christchurch before being released on Sunday.

They became symptomatic on Wednesday and got tested, returning a positive test on Wednesday evening.

While urgent genome sequencing was under way, the ministry said the case was being treated as Omicron since they were in MIQ at the same time as known Omicron cases.

The case is considered to have been infectious from Monday and there are exposure events associated with their movements, including an early childhood centre.

Various locations of interest in Palmerston North were posted about midday Thursday:

• Postie Plus​ on Rangitīkei St between 11.15am and 11.45am on Wednesday.
• South African shop eSANZ​ between 2.15pm and 2.30pm on Wednesday.
• Steelmasters on Tremaine Ave between 3.10pm and 3.28pm on Monday.
• Amare Safety on Tremaine Ave between 3pm and 3.10pm on Monday and 11.45am and 11.50am on Wednesday.
• Bunnings in Palmerston North between 4.54pm and 5.05pm on Monday and 10.30am and 10.48am on Tuesday.
• Manawatū Locksmith on Princess St between 11.07am and 11.12am on Wednesday.
• Cafe 116 on Napier Rd on Wednesday between 10.40am and 11am on Wednesday.
• Repco on Tremaine Ave between 3.55pm and 4.35pm on Monday, between 10.20am and 10.30am on Tuesday and 1.55pm and 2.05pm on Wednesday.
• ANZA Motor Company on Taonui St between 3.15pm and 3.30pm on Monday and 12pm and 12.15pm on Wednesday.

The infected person, who has had two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, is now isolating at home with their family.

Anyone at those locations at those times should self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days from those times.

If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until a negative test result.

The Cafe 116 event, however, was classified as a "close contact” event.

Anyone who was there at the stated time should self-isolate and get tested immediately and on the fifth day after the time.

The board said it was likely to update the locations of interest throughout Thursday.

Cafe 116, eSANZ, Postie Plus, ANZA Motor Company and Steelmasters were open for business on Thursday, following Ministry of Health advice.

The positive case visited ANZA Motor Company twice this week, but an employee who declined to be named said the Ministry of Health considered them “very low risk.”

“They believe the person was just in the car yard,” she said.

South African store eSANZ was open after a deep clean. Manager Brenda Williams had been concerned by conflicting Ministry of Health information, as they originally told them the case had been at the store on the 18th, not 19th.

“It scared me a bit because my husband has cancer, he's immunocompromised, but thankfully it wasn’t the day I was working.”

A Manawatū Locksmith employee said they had shut up shop while employees were tested for Covid-19. They were self-isolating and would be tested again after five days: “Better safe than sorry," he said.

The Repco and Amare Safety businesses did not answer a phone call.

It is the first case in the region since someone from Ashhurst tested positive in November.

The board encouraged people to get tested, with tests are available between 8.30am and 4pm at the drive-through centre at 575 Main Street, Palmerston North.

Other testing locations, most of which require people to phone ahead first, at https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/midcentral/.