Covid-19: What we know about the Air NZ crew member who tested positive

An Air New Zealand flight attendant has tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from Japan. The woman, aged in her 60s, returned a positive result on Wednesday night as part of the airline’s regular surveillance. As of yet, no link has been made to the current outbreak, of which 10 community cases have been found so far since a 58-year-old tradesman tested positive on Tuesday. Air NZ CE Greg Foran said the crew member was fully vaccinated, and had just returned from Narita Airport – on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo. “Our thoughts go out to her as we work through this with the Ministry of Health and obviously we’ve been busy making sure that any other crew that were on that particular flight are being tested as well,” he said. The infection was picked up through regular surveillance testing. Crew have to adhere to strict protocols when away, and on their return, they isolate at home and are tested on their second day. This testing was how her case was picked up, Foran said. Details of her case were announced in a statement on Wednesday night. Air NZ chief medical officer Dr Ben Johnston confirmed the woman tested positive on August 18 as part of the airline’s regular testing programme for international aircrew. The crew member had visited two Covid-infected countries since the start of August, including Japan.<br/>