Mayor confirms two new cases of Covid-19 in Ōtorohanga, says it was 'inevitable'

Sunday, 24 October 2021

A new testing station is being set up in Ōtorohanga, to open in the King Country town on Monday.

Covid-19 has resurfaced in the King Country with two community cases confirmed by the Waikato District Health Board to Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter.

Baxter said the DHB told him the two cases were both close contacts of positive cases in Te Awamutu, and he felt a reappearance in his district was “inevitable” given links between the areas.

“The two people are from the same household and have been very co-operative with the [Waikato] DHB.”

Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter was not surprised Covid-19 had resurfaced in his district.

A community based assessment centre will be set up behind the Ōtorohanga Club on Monday and testing will be available from 11am to 3pm, Baxter said.

Entry will be from the northern end of Wahanui Crescent turning left into Whittington Lane.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the cases, saying they were tested on Saturday and got results on Sunday.

”The two cases are now isolating locally in dedicated accommodation, with public health oversight,” a statement said.

The Ōtorohanga cases are still within the Waikato's alert level 3 border.

These two cases are Waikato’s southernmost in recent times but a previous case had been confirmed in Kāwhia, also in the Ōtorohanga district, on October 6.

The Ōtorohanga cases are still within Waikato’s alert level 3 border, which was pushed south after the Kāwhia case and one in Karāpiro.

Baxter said he got concerned after fielding rumours of a positive case on Sunday.

“I … contacted the DHB, and they got back to me this afternoon with confirmation and where the contacts were.”

The two cases are from the same Ōtorohanga household, Mayor Max Baxter was told, and had been very cooperative.

Baxter said it would have been too late to report as part of the 1pm Covid-19 press release from the Ministry of Health.

“But my message is, if you are showing signs of the virus or feeling unwell in any sense, please get tested and to all those who are not vaccinated, please get vaccinated.

“This is not a time to be hesitant or to stand back and wait. We just need everyone to get vaccinated.”

Baxter was not surprised Covid-19 had reappeared in his district.

“I know about a third of the district associates with Te Awamutu, so I believe it was inevitable.”

Baxter said the district’s vaccination rates were “near the bottom of the country” but since the positive case in Kāwhia two weeks ago, numbers had improved.

“We have flattened off over the past few days and hopefully this will accelerate those numbers again.

“It is terrible that it takes a positive case in your community to motivate people but hopefully this is the motivation everyone needs to stay safe.”

A testing centre will be open on Monday at the Ōtorohanga Club, 107 Maniapoto Street, from 11am to 3pm.

*An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the Ministry of Health confirmed the cases to mayor Max Baxter when in fact it was the Waikato District Health Board.