We are again faced with delays to racing, this time for the Cup Match. Below is the official statement from the America’s Cup, and the information on the situation in New Zealand as it develops.
**UPDATE** There have been no new community cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand since Sunday night, today being the fourth in a row of zero cases. We will hopefully know more on Monday/Tuesday, one week after “Case O” was last in the community. Here’s hoping Zero cases continues, and we see a lift in the lock down level to Level 2.
The Prada Cup continued at Level 2, but it will be up to ACE and not the CoR to decide on when the racing resumes for the Cup Match. When racing does recommence, it will continue, using the Reserve Days as well as Racing Days under the protocol until one team reaches seven wins ⛵🏆🚀
As always we will continue to keep you posted as news becomes available.
Statement from the ACE on 28 February 2021
First weekend of the America’s Cup Match postponed.
In light of the latest Auckland COVID-19 Level 3 lockdown put in place by the Government from 6am this morning for the next 7 days, America’s Cup Event Ltd has postponed the first weekend of racing on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of March.
The purpose of this early decision is to provide at least some certainty in planning for all event stakeholders with regard to next weekend initially.
America’s Cup Event Ltd Chair, Tina Symmans said, “As ACE has always said that it wishes to hold as much of the racing under Level 1 restrictions as possible. But to be prudent, ACE will apply for an exemption to race under Level 3 restrictions so as to keep as many options open as possible. However, racing will not occur before at least Wednesday 10th March.”
In the meantime, ACE will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities over the next few days as this latest COVID situation unfolds.
“We need to understand all likely scenarios so that an updated racing schedule can be put in place whilst also ensuring the regulatory requirements are met,” concluded Symmans.
More on the COVID situation in New Zealand
4 March 2021
There are no new COVID-19 cases to report in the community.
There are 6 new COVID-19 cases to report in managed isolation.
Testing update
On Wednesday, 14,671 tests were processed. More than 68,000 tests have been processed in the last week, with a seven-day rolling average up to yesterday of 9,721 tests processed.
The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,751,605.
3 March 2021
There are no new COVID-19 cases to report in the community.
There are two new COVID-19 cases to report in managed isolation. One is historical and the other is someone who flew from India.
9,000 people have so far been vaccinated.
2 March 2021
There are no new COVID-19 cases to report in the community.
There are four new COVID-19 cases to report in managed isolation.
Whole Genome Sequencing for Case O
Preliminary Whole Genome Sequencing results for Case O have been received, linking the case to the Auckland February cluster. The final results will help determine links between the different cases in the cluster.
Testing update
Since Sunday 14 February there have been more than 70,000 community tests for COVID-19 in metro Auckland – which is equivalent to more than 4 percent of the region’s population. 8,880 tests were carried out nationally yesterday.
There are 11 community testing centres open in Auckland today; seven of these are in South and East Auckland. The centres are in Takanini, Wiri, Mangere, Otara, Pakuranga, Balmoral, New Lynn, Henderson, Northcote, with pop-up testing centres at Kohuora Park in Papatoetoe and Barry Curtis Park in Flat Bush.
Community testing centres in Auckland are reporting steady demand today. A reminder that GP and urgent care clinics are also available to carry out COVID-19 tests. COVID-19 tests are free wherever you go.
A reminder that it is important the right people get tested. Please don’t get a test if you are well, or if you weren’t at one of the locations of interest at the stated times unless you have been advised to by public health teams. Remember the most important thing people in Auckland should be doing at Alert Level 3 is staying home.
1 March 2021
There are no new COVID-19 cases in the community to report since yesterday evening when we reported the community case, Case O.
There is one new case of COVID-19 to report in managed isolation.
Auckland February cluster – one community case reported yesterday
Yesterday evening we reported one new community case, Case O, who tested positive for COVID-19. Case O is a household contact of Cases I, J, K and L – all are in the Auckland quarantine facility.
Case O had been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility on 23 February as a precautionary measure. The person became symptomatic on Saturday and returned a positive COVID-19 test on Sunday. This means that Case O has been in quarantine for their infectious period.
As a result of the early precautionary measures carried out to contain potential COVID-19 spread from this household there are no new associated locations of interest and no risk to members of the public.
Update on Cases M and N
Yesterday evening we reported that preliminary Whole Genome Sequencing results for Case N confirmed the case is similar to that of Case M and is linked to the current outbreak.
Contact tracing for Cases M and N continues to be a focus for public health staff in Auckland. Their other household members have been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
Contact tracing of the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) Manukau campus has identified 21 close contacts of Case M, who are being followed up and provided advice from public health staff regarding isolating and testing.
The dates and times of potential exposure events are on the Ministry’s website, on the locations of interest page. This page also has public health advice for people who were at the MIT Manukau campus at these dates and times. The vast majority of people on the campus at the same times as Case M are considered casual contacts and need to watch for symptoms. They do not need to have a test unless they have symptoms, or are a close or casual plus contact. All casual contacts should be limiting their movements and interactions with other people. Under Level 3, everyone in Auckland should also currently be staying at home.
Contact tracing of City Fitness in Hunters Plaza has identified 154 casual plus contacts. These contacts will be followed up by contact tracing teams to ensure that they get a test and stay at home until the test is negative. If you were at the gym on 20 February between 12.20pm – 1.45pm or 26 February between 3.25pm – 4.30pm and have not been contacted then please phone Healthline for advice.
Update on Cases A, B and C
Cases A, B and C are classified as recovered from their COVID-19 infections and have finished their quarantine period at the Auckland quarantine facility.
28 February 2021
There are two cases of COVID-19 in the community to report. These cases were reported yesterday evening, and are part of the Auckland February cluster.
There are two new cases of COVID-19 to report in managed isolation.
Auckland February cluster – two community cases reported yesterday
Following their positive COVID-19 test results yesterday, Case M and Case N – who are household contacts – are now in the Auckland quarantine facility.
Whole Genome Sequencing results confirm Case M is linked to the existing cluster, through the family that includes cases D, E, F, G, and H. Contact tracing teams have also identified a link between the two households.
As with other cases in this cluster, Case M is confirmed to have the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus, which was first identified in the United Kingdom.
Genome sequencing results to date supports all the cases in the cluster being linked, which reinforces we are currently looking for the source for only one cluster at this stage. The investigation into the cluster’s source continues to be a focus. This work is being led by the team from the Auckland regional public health unit with support from the Ministry of Health and ESR. We continue to investigate epidemiological links, carry out Whole Genome Sequencing, and test wastewater in Auckland.
A further person linked to the Auckland February cluster, who is already in the Auckland quarantine facility, has tested positive for COVID-19.
This person is being referred to as Case O and is a household contact of Cases I, J, K and L.
Case O was transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility on 23 February as a precautionary measure. The person became symptomatic yesterday and returned a positive COVID-19 test this afternoon. This means that Case O has been in quarantine for their infectious period.
As a result of the early precautionary measures carried out to contain potential COVID-19 spread from this household there are no new locations of interest and no risk to members of the public.
Whole Genome Sequencing will be carried out to confirm a link between Case O and the other cases in the cluster.
Update on Case N
Preliminary Whole Genome Sequencing results for Case N confirm the case is similar to that of Case M and is linked to the current outbreak.
