WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – The woman who undertook a flight to New Zealand was supposed to avoid physical contact with others for 14 days when she goes into the mandatory quarantine. The man working at the quarantine hotel was supposed to be the last line of defense.
But the two began passing notes to each other, including one written on the back of a face mask. Then she ordered a bottle of wine which he was to deliver to her room. When he did not return 20 minutes later, a security manager sent to investigate found the couple in what authorities described as an inappropriate encounter, in which physical distance was not maintained.
The incident earlier this month, which came to light on Friday, highlighted a very human weakness in the coronavirus elimination procedures in New Zealand, in a country that has wiped out the spread of the virus by the community. This is similar to decay in Australia that may have contributed to a major outbreak last year in Melbourne.
“We are dealing with people,” said Response Minister Chris Hipkins of COVID-19. “We ask everyone to adhere to the standards we set. I cannot control the actions of every individual. ”
Hipkins said the behavior of the couple is totally unacceptable and that he has thoroughly investigated.
Brigadier Jim Bliss, head of managed isolation and quarantine, said the worker was immediately sent home and told to isolate him. He was later fired. The returning traveler, meanwhile, has received a formal written warning from police. Authorities breathed a sigh of relief after both returned negative coronavirus tests.
“The actions of the two people involved in this incident are incredibly irresponsible and extremely disappointing,” Bliss said. “There is absolutely no room for complacency.”
Bliss said the actions of the staff at the Grand Millennium Auckland Hotel do not reflect the 4,000 people who work at quarantine hotels, who put themselves ‘selflessly between us and this virus’ every day. He said an investigation is underway to consider whether additional safety measures are needed.
Authorities did not disclose the identity of the two involved.
New Zealand’s successful response resulted in only 25 people dying from the virus in a country of five million. The only new cases are those coming from returning travelers, 100,000 of whom have poured in over the past year. Authorities and people across the country remain very focused on any border violations.