A Countdown worker has tested positive for Covid-19.

While neither Countdown nor the Ministry of Health have confirmed the case, in the Ministry of Health’s latest locations of interest – whichnow sit at 494 – there are two references Countdown Westgate Shopping Centre in Massey.

Countdown saysmore than 2100 staff are currently isolating across New Zealand.

The dates of exposure are on August 19 and 21 however the times are outside shopping hours – 6am to 2.30pm and 6am to 11.30am respectively.

The ministry asks anyone who was in the supermarket between those times to stay at home and seek a test immediately as well as on day five.

People are required to stay at home until they receive a negative day 5 test result.

Countdown said they couldn’t confirm if the staff member had tested positive “for privacy reasons”.

“There are several reasons for this, including they don’t have childcare available or are vulnerable to Covid-19.

“In Auckland and Wellington, teams are isolating due to their store being a location of interest or due to the fact they have a household member who has been impacted by a location of interest.”

Countdown now has 19 stores that had been visited by a positive case and eight stores were temporarily closed due to low team numbers.

Stores that were closed are currently Albert Street Metro, Birkenhead, Halsey Street Metro, Hauraki Corner, Mangere Mall, Westgate and Takanini.

“In the last week since lockdown started we have brought 270 new permanent and nearly 400 temporary team members on board to help relieve the pressure on our stores and online network,” the spokesperson said.

Deep cleans had been carried out in each of the affected stores in addition to the “thorough cleaning that is undertaken during each day, which has been further increased following the recent alert level change”.

“Any team members who were working during the time of the visits have been asked to self-isolate and be tested.”

Meanwhile, the positive case is expected to be one of many again today after director general of health Ashley Bloomfield announced 62 new cases yesterday.

The new cases are only being announced once a day – at the Government’s 1pm daily press conference.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay will reveal details of today’s cases.

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