Two NZ Defence Force personnel have tested positive for Coivd-19, one a civilian and the other military.
The first positive case was announced by the Ministry of Health on Friday evening. This was a service person who was working in the Auckland quarantine facility as a part of Operation Protect, NZDF's contribution to the All-of-Government effort.
The second case is a civilian who met the service person in Auckland on Wednesday before they tested positive. This case was identified as a close contact by the Ministry's contact tracing process and they subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.
The service person is being cared for and has provided an account of his movements in order to enable a rapid and thorough contact-tracing process.
The civilian is in a quarantine facility in Wellington and five household contacts are being tested and are in self-isolation.
“We take the health and safety of our military personnel and civilian employees very seriously, and we will be doing everything we can to keep people informed and manage the situation,” Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, said in a statement.
“We are also in contact with the Ministry of Health and are abiding by their protocols.
“We are doing everything we can to keep our people and their families and whānau safe while we undertake these important roles that directly contribute to the protection and security of New Zealand and New Zealanders.”