Rangitoto College has been told there is "very little risk" from a COVID-19 case found within a school family.
The school, located on Auckland's North Shore and which is New Zealand's largest, has been sent a "reassuring letter" from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service
"An ARPHS spokesperson says letters informing staff and families of the situation have been issued explaining that a student has been only briefly at school since a family member become sick with COVID-19," ARPHS says.
"The student is not considered a close contact, as they had minimal exposure to the person while this person was infectious. The student is well and has had a negative test result. They have only been at school for a very short time since their household member became sick.
"The student was very unlikely to have been infectious with COVID-19 while at school."
The health service says that the whole family is now in self-isolation and no one else from the household has been at school since the family member became contagious.
"Auckland Regional Public Health Service considers the risk to any other students or staff to be very low, and the school remains safe to attend," it says.
"The service is asking for the school community to be vigilant for the symptoms of COVID-19, as a precaution."
These can include one or more of the following:
- New or worsening cough
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Fever
- Temporary loss of smell
- Difficulty breathing
"Anyone with these symptoms should call their doctor or Healthline (0800 358 5453) for advice and to arrange a test. They will explain what to do," ARPHS says.
"Rangitoto College will not be telling parents or staff the name of the student or the family to protect their privacy."
It comes after the health service told Aucklanders on Wednesday night that an infectious individual visited The Malt pub in Greenhithe on Friday. Everyone who was at the public that night is being asked to self-isolate and be tested.
That individual was one of two community cases announced by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. Both are workplace contacts of the port worker confirmed with COVID-19 on Sunday. The worker is believed to have caught the virus on the ship Sofrana Surville.
A further 23 imported cases were announced on Wednesday. Eighteen of these are from the Russian and Ukrainian fishermen group and are residing in a Christchurch managed isolation facility.
