WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – The woman who took a flight back to New Zealand was supposed to avoid all physical contact with other people for 14 days while entering compulsory quarantine. The man working in the quarantine hotel had to be the last line of defense.
But the two began to pass notes, including a writing on the back of a face mask. Then she asked for a bottle of wine which she delivered to her room. When he did not return 20 minutes later, a security guard sent to investigate found the couple together in what authorities describe as an inappropriate encounter, in which physical distancing was not maintained.
The incident earlier this month, which came to light on Friday, has highlighted a very human weakness in New Zealand coronavirus removal procedures in a country that has eliminated community spread of the virus. . It is similar to bankruptcies in Australia that may have contributed to a major outbreak last year in Melbourne.
“We are dealing with humans,” COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said. “We ask everyone to meet the standards we set. I can’t control the actions of every individual. ”
Hipkins said the couple’s behavior was totally unacceptable and he had called for a thorough investigation.
Brigadier Jim Bliss, head of isolation and quarantine, said the worker was immediately sent home and told to isolate himself. He was later fired. Meanwhile, the returning traveler received a formal written warning from the 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 did not reflect the 4,000 people who worked in quarantine hotels who “selflessly put themselves between us and this virus” every day. He said an investigation is underway to consider whether additional security measures are needed.
Authorities have not revealed the identities of the two people involved.
New Zealand’s successful response has resulted in only 25 people dying from the virus in a 5 million nation. The only new cases are those caused by return travelers, 100,000 of whom have flown over the past year. Authorities and people across the country are still on the lookout for any breaches at the border.