Covid-19: Three new cases on Viking Bay among latest numbers

Sunday, 18 July 2021

Three more Covid-19 cases have been confirmed aboard the Spanish Viking Bay fishing vessel, which is docked in Wellington.

The three extra cases were confirmed by Ministry of Health on Sunday among 10 new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation.

The three will serve their quarantine aboard the ship along with one other, who remains uninfected.

**READ MORE:

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* Covid-19 NZ: Five new cases in MIQ, none in the community

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The ship arrived in Wellington on Monday. Fifteen of the crew earlier tested positive and a 16th tested negative. All were at Wellington’s Grand Mercure doing managed isolation and quarantine.

Meanwhile, the fishing vessel Playa Zahara, carrying 16 mariners with Covid-19, has arrived in Lyttleton Port, Christchurch.

About three Lyttelton Port staff met the ship just before 9am on Sunday, wearing full PPE including masks and shields.

Thirteen of the crew have been taken to Sudima Hotel, a managed isolation and quarantine facility (MIQ) in Christchurch, on two buses escorted by police.

The Spanish fishing vessel Playa Zahara that carried a crew of 18 was not fishing in New Zealand waters but had earlier been heading to Taranaki to change crews.

The entire crew were tested for Covid-19 on Tuesday after 15 crew members reported flu-like symptoms.

The ministry confirmed on Thursday 16 of the crew tested positive.