Probable COVID-19 case takes Taranaki’s total to 16

27 April 2020

Taranaki’s total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 16 this long weekend with the most recent person being confirmed as a probable case. 

Taranaki DHB’s medical officer of health, Dr Jonathan Jarman, says a 58 year old woman is the latest person and sixteenth case of COVID-19 in the region.

“When we say probable, it means that her symptoms and close household contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 infection make it very likely she also has the infection even though her COVID-19 test was negative. 
 
“In this instance the woman lives in the same household as her husband who acquired the infection overseas in March. Both her and her husband have been in isolation since then, and now she will go into further isolation until she is considered to be non-infectious.”

Dr Jarman confirms that the two new cases this weekend were both linked to overseas travel in March and spread within families.

As Taranaki enters Alert Level 3 this week Dr Jarman says it’s reassuring to see that people with COVID-19 infection and their family members are taking isolation and quarantine seriously.
 
“It is not that surprising in a household setting that the virus has spread from one person to another. Most of the transmission of COVID-19 is within families.
 
“Thankfully with this latest case it is another small bubble so the risk to the health of the public is very low. The smaller the bubble the better,” says Dr Jarman.

A reminder that testing clinics in New Plymouth and Hawera will be open until 4pm today (Monday 27 April) and all four testing clinics will be open again from tomorrow (Tuesday 28 April). For information on testing clinic locations and times please see Taranaki DHB’s COVID-19 webpage - https://tdhb.org.nz/covid19/public.shtml#testing

Do you have questions about COVID-19 testing? Please visit our frequently asked questions webpage to help you find the answers - https://tdhb.org.nz/covid19/faqs.shtml

Last updated: Monday, April 27, 2020