UN aid worker with Covid being transferred to Auckland from Fiji

July 29, 2021
Hospital workers treating a Covid-19 patient in the ICU (file).

A person with Covid-19 from Fiji - a United Nations aid worker - is being flown to Auckland for treatment after an earlier request was denied. 

The Ministry of Health said this morning it had approved a formal request for the transfer and treatment of the patient. 

It said it did so as the metro-Auckland DHBs had agreed. 

A transfer plan was approved by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service's Medical Officer of Health and the New Zealand Air Ambulance Service has agreed to it. 

The medevac flight is leaving Auckland this morning and will return this afternoon. 

"The plan takes into consideration the safety of both the patient and the crew who will be transporting the patient," the ministry said.

The ministry said, however, it is not yet known which Auckland hospital the patient will be treated at. 

"There are appropriate isolation and infection prevention and control plans in place at all the metro-DHB hospitals to accommodate this patient," it pointed out. 

The request was earlier declined for "capacity reasons", but the ministry said this had changed as "the fluidity of the situation at the metro-Auckland DHB ICUs determined this treatment can be provided.

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