Ev’s Bar, Carterton. PHOTO/KAREN COLTMAN
Karen Coltman
The Carterton council gardener who has contracted covid-19 is apparently “doing well and recovering” according to his mates.
The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday, the man had not travelled overseas and was one of two cases in New Zealand where there was, at this stage, no connection with direct overseas travel before contracting the virus.
It is being treated as an instance of possible community spread.
The man was a regular patron at Ev’s Bar in Carterton, owner Steve Carson said.
The young gardener was at Ev’s Bar eight days before the test came back positive.
At this stage, he was not symptomatic.
The infected man’s friends got in touch with Carson and told him he was doing well and was on the road to recovery.
Times-Age sources said the man didn’t go into Carterton’s council offices before or after going into self-isolation, and has not had contact with office staff, frontline council services staff, or councillors.
But the council has confirmed it had the offices thoroughly cleaned as a precaution.
Some Carterton residents have been notified by the Ministry of Health that they were in contact with the man and they have been required to go into self-isolation for 14 days.
A family of two parents and four children are in the situation.
Carterton District Council chief executive Jane Davis said, “We’re really proud of our staff member and the way they followed Ministry of Health guidelines as soon as they became symptomatic”.
“These actions have minimised any risks to others in Carterton.”
On Sunday, the director general of health, Ashley Bloomfield said at his daily press conference the Ministry of Health had not yet established how the man contracted the virus and the investigation was still under way.
He acknowledged that the Carterton community would be concerned but asked everyone just to keep up with the physical distancing and handwashing.
