Cook Islands travel bubble with New Zealand has been suspended after health officials have reported new Covid-19 community cases in Auckland.
Four community cases were reported overnight by authorities, including an Auckland hospital worker, bringing total to five.
Cases are all linked to Tuesday’s first case in Auckland, which is confirmed as Delta variant.
“While the epidemiological variance and transmission link for the community case in New Zealand is still being investigated, we must act swiftly here to minimize exposure risk for the Cook Islands so we remain safe” said Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown.
This alert level change will mean that international inwards passenger arrivals for 72 hours through to Thursday are suspended. This pause on international arrivals will allow Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health to test arriving passengers from 11 August. This also means domestic travel to the Pa Enua from Rarotonga is suspended for 72 hours also.
Passengers can return to New Zealand from Rarotonga. Passengers from Pa Enua can return back to Rarotonga.
“This is a good time to remind ourselves of the need to practice good hygiene measures, and to actively tag in with Cooksafe and Cooksafe+” Prime Minister Brown adds.
Cook Islands Cabinet will meet again tomorrow to consider new updated information received and next steps.
SOURCE: COOK
