Another error in the Ministry of Health’s information about the controversial Case M has emerged.
The Ministry of Health earlier on Sunday apologised for listing the wrong south Auckland polytechnic campus in its latest list of contact tracing locations of interest.
Now, it has emerged the man was not employed where the ministry said he was.
The community Covid-19 case, dubbed Case M, is a student at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT).
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The ministry’s list of contact tracing locations of interest, released on Saturday night, initially said the case had visited the Ōtara campus, at 53 Ōtara Road, on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Google maps/Supplied
The Manukau Institute of Technology is now closed under level 3.
In fact, he had visited the Manukau campus, at the corner of Manukau Station Rd and Davies Ave, Manukau, Auckland, an MIT spokesman confirmed.
The two campuses are about 5km apart.
The Ministry of Health also said he worked at Kerry Logistics Limited at Auckland Airport one day a week.
However, the company’s managing director Robert Gilhooly said the man was actually contracted by a temping company, and was only at Kerry Logistics once, for four hours, on Tuesday.
Gilhooly said he found out via the media late on Saturday of his company’s link, before he was contacted by the Ministry of Health about 9am Sunday.
“That’s our biggest frustration.”
Four Kerry employees are considered close contacts, but the company was asking all employees at its Auckland office to get a test to be on the safe side, he said.
Its site would also be deep-cleaned.
A ministry spokesman said on Sunday morning the error had been corrected and apologised for any confusion.
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The list of contact tracing locations of interest on the Ministry website was updated to the correct MIT address about 9am Sunday.
There are six new locations of interest visited by the new case. They are:
- Hunters Plaza, Papatoetoe, 26 February between 2.55pm-5pm
- Burger King, Highland Park, on 25 February, 8pm-9pm
- Your Health Pharmacy, Papatoetoe, 23 February, 2.45pm-3.50pm
- Pak ‘N’ Save Manukau, 21 February, 5.30pm-6.40pm
- CityFitness, Papatoetoe, 26 February, 3.20pm-4.40pm and, 20 February, 12.20pm-1.45pm
- Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT),Manukau Station Rd, 22 February 1pm – 6.30pm, 24 February 12pm – 7.30pm, 25 February 11am – 7pm.
The case went to CityFitness after receiving a Covid test and being told to self-isolate, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.
RICKY WILSON/Stuff
Hunters Plaza is one of the locations of interest in the latest community case of Covid-19 in Auckland.
Health officials are asking anyone who went to the gym to stay home and get tested as soon as possible, and call Healthline on 08003585453.
“Remain at home until you receive a negative test result,” is the official advice.
“Self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 14 days from your exposure. If symptoms develop after your first negative result, get another test immediately and stay at home until a negative test result is received.”
A letter from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) to MIT students said health officials have identified the person’s close contacts, those most at risk of having caught the virus.
“These are approximately 20 students in the same classes and their lecturer,” the ARPHS letter says.
“They are being contacted and will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days, and get tested. If you have not received a phone call from Public Health, then you are considered a casual contact.
“This means you are at low risk of catching Covid-19, but we ask that you watch for symptoms over the next 14 days.”
