A student at the University of Auckland has tested positive for Covid-19. The student is a resident in the Whitaker Block, takes meals at Waipārūrū Hall, and has attended classes on campus on Monday 16 August and Tuesday 17 August. The student travelled home to Wellington on Thursday August 19 and is currently isolating at home following a positive test result. Craccum currently has no information on what classes the student attended, however we will continue to update as more details come.
Students and staff at the affected halls have been asked to self isolate in their rooms, and to wear a mask when using the bathroom. As of 9pm Friday, Accommodation Solutions says that the University has not yet been contacted by the Ministry of Health.
Waipārūrū Hall had their ball on Saturday night, and allowed guests outside of the hall to attend. It is not currently known whether the student in question was present at this event.
As of Friday afternoon, during Level 4 lockdown, halls isolated floors as bubbles, and students were asked to wear masks if they had to travel to laundry rooms or the dining hall during their allocated meal times. Meal utensils at catered halls are swapped out and cleaned between seatings, and cleaning has intensified with high touch points around the halls being cleaned more regularly.
Waste controls, food, pastoral care, and specific bathrooms have accounted for physical distancing. All staff and contractors are masked and sanitiser has been made available throughout the buildings. Records of students who are isolating offsite are kept and the doors contain swipe records of who is coming and going.
While further locations of interest are identified, the University has asked for the university community to follow the recommended safety guidelines. The University continues to work closely with the relevant health agencies on this situation, and is following their protocols, including for contact-tracing, to support students and to protect the wider university community.
On their website, The Ministry of Health states that if you have been at any locations of interest during the relevant time, to get a test immediately, self-isolate and call Healthline. Find a testing service here: https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/?options=anyone