SDHB COVID-19 Daily Update 14 Feb 2022

Since Thursday last week cases have increased throughout the Southern district. As such, we have decided to implement a daily media release to update case numbers and inform the media and public of the situation across the Southern region.

Locations of Interest

All up-to-date locations of interest can be found on the Ministry of Health website. This list is constantly updated as new locations come to light. There have been some central delays in locations of interest going on the website so please keep checking these. From now on only high-risk locations of interest will be put up.

There can be many reasons why there no identified locations of interest. This could include that people didn’t go out in the community during their infectious period, or that all people at the locations they visited have been able to be contacted and notified, or it was a classified a low-risk location of interest. There is further information on the Ministry of Health website that explains how locations of interest notifications work.

Individual Case Enquiries

For privacy reasons, the SDHB does not share personal information about people who have tested positive for COVID-19 unless there are compelling public health reasons to do so. This includes the number of close contacts associated with exposure events

Aged Residential Care

The SDHB can confirm that a staff member at an aged residential facility in Invercargill has tested positive for COVID-19. This staff member is isolating at home and will be counted in tomorrow’s case numbers.

All residents and their families have been notified. No residents are symptomatic, and all residents have returned a negative RAT test. Close contacts are isolating and following public health advice.

The SDHB continues to work with this facility for testing and support.

Student Party

The SDHB can confirm that a member of the student community in Dunedin has tested positive for COVID-19. They are currently isolating and will be counted in tomorrow’s case numbers. Close contacts that have been identified have been contacted today.

Partying in Southern

If you have been out at a bar or restaurant, or attending parties across the Southern district, please be aware that these are high risk settings. If you develop cold or flu like symptoms, please isolate and get tested for COVID-19 immediately.

Please note, the Ministry of Health’s daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

There are as of 1pm Monday 14 February 306 close contacts isolating throughout the Southern district. 239 of these are in the Queenstown-Lakes district.

Please go and get tested if you have any symptoms or you have been asked to get tested by the Ministry of Health or Public Health. Otherwise, you do not need to get tested. Due to our district’s geography, transporting swabs to the appropriate laboratory for testing may take some time – please be patient in waiting for your results.

Now that we have COVID-19 circulating in our communities, we are all at risk of being exposed. Please continue to wear masks, follow physical distancing, and hand hygiene measures – these actions will slow the spread and help flatten the curve.

Media enquiries:
SDHB Communications, communications@southerndhb.govt.nz.