The co-owner of an Auckland CBD store owner linked to the latest case of community transmission said she never expected the woman to test positive for COVID-19.
On Thursday the Ministry of Health announced a new case of COVID-19 in a woman in her 20s with no link to the border or MIQ facilities.
The woman, a student at AUT, is linked to the Vincent Residences as is a student at AUT, although hadn't been on campus since mid-October.
But Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay revealed she had worked at clothing store A-Z Collection on High Street while ill.
The woman had been tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday after becoming sick the day before and attempted to call in sick to her boss.
However, after the conversation, she worked in a customer-facing role, with a face mask on, on Wednesday.
Her test came back positive for coronavirus on Thursday.
Mei Chen, the co-owner of A-Z Collections told Stuff she didn't expect it would turn out to be COVID-19.
Speaking in Mandarin, she told a reporter she was under the impression the woman was generally fine and didn't have any major symptoms, although she was suffering from a sore throat.
In conflicting accounts, Chen also said she was aware her worker had received a test, and in another call claimed she had no idea.
She also hit out at the Ministry of Health's account of the worker being told to come in despite advice to isolate as a "distortion of the truth".
Stuff reported Chen sounded anxious over the phone and told them Chinese people are very cautious.
