The person who is believed to have transmitted the Covid-19 coronavirus to their family member in Auckland will now be tested for the virus.
This morning, New Zealand's third case of coronavirus was confirmed . It is the country's first person-to-person transmission, after their family member returned from Iran to New Zealand in February.
As the family member no longer had symptoms, Director of Health Ashley Bloomfield today said they had not been tested for coronavirus as they "test people who have symptoms".
When asked to confirm whether that family member had coronavirus, Dr Bloomfield said, "there’s a very clear epidemiological link… They’ve come back, they’re living in the same household, so there’s been transmission from one person to another".
Later today, Health Minister David Clark told media the person who was believed to have transmitted the virus has been offered and has accepted testing.
"It's highly likely because they're asymptomatic they will test negative, it's a belt and braces approach (extra precaution) but I’m pleased to hear they have accepted testing," Dr Clark said.
"The best evidence we have at this stage is that people who are asymptomatic are not able to spread the virus, however obviously if people have symptoms they should seek medical help."
Dr Clark said people should be unsurprised by the announcement of a person-to-person transmission as overseas the most common cases of transmission were within families.
Dr Bloomfield said the family member of the person confirmed to be the third coronavirus case, "had been in Iran and did not have any symptoms on the plane and developed some very mild symptoms a couple of days after returning to New Zealand".
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