The spotlight has turned on travellers coming to the Ruapehu area to self-isolate.
“It cannot continue,” Ruapehu district Mayor Don Cameron said today. “Stay home.”
Three people who are staying in the district were confirmed yesterday as the Whanganui region’s first cases of Covid-19. The three men in their 20s returned to New Zealand on flights from America, and are believed to have travelled from their homes elsewhere in New Zealand to self-isolate at a holiday home in the Ruapehu district.
Mayor Cameron said Ruapehu District Council will work with Police to monitor the number of travellers coming into the area to self-isolate.
The three men are in one house and are being closely monitored.
“Public Health are in daily contact with the affected persons, and contact tracing of those they may have come into contact with is well under way. The affected persons are contained and under strict isolation protocols,” Mayor Cameron said.
He reminded people of the importance to self-isolate and stay home, especially given the three cases.
“COVID-19 is in our district now. This means we must more than ever keep to the health guidelines required to keep us safe. It’s really important that people only leave their homes to access essential services or to get some exercise but only if it is absolutely necessary. If you do leave your house you must keep a 2m distance from anyone outside your bubble at all times.
“If you need groceries, the pharmacy, bank or another essential service only one member of your household should go. Civil Defence is concerned about groups out shopping together. This puts yourself, your household and our essential workers at risk.
“Police will be monitoring people and asking questions of anyone who is out and about during this Level 4 alert period to check on what they are doing. We can get through this together so long as we stay home and stop the spread. He waka eke noa,” Mayor Cameron said.
Ruapehu EOC Situation Report
Read the latest situation updates from the Ruapehu Emergency Operations Centre at
https://www.ruapehudc.govt.nz/…/coro…/Pages/default.aspx