All travel between New Zealand and Western Australia is on hold due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Perth.
An Air New Zealand flight due to leave Perth on Friday night has been cancelled following the announcement.
New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said any Kiwis affected are asked to follow the advice of Western Australian authorities.
“As set out in our trans-Tasman bubble protocols, travel between New Zealand and Western Australia has been paused, pending further advice from the state government,” he said.
“New Zealand health officials are in contact with their Australian counterparts and are completing a risk assessment.”
All passengers on an earlier flight from Perth to Melbourne that carried a passenger later found to have COVID-19 have been contact traced and no-one on that flight has travelled on to New Zealand, Hipkins said.
“This is an example of the type of scenario both countries have planned for.”
On Friday evening, flights had been available to book from New Zealand to Perth on Air NZ. The flights flew via other Australian cities.
Where the Melbourne COVID-19 case visited in Perth
The COVID-19 case that has sparked WA’s snap three-day lockdown was moving in the Perth community for several days while presumed to be infectious.
- Premier Mark McGowan said on April 17, the man stayed with a friend and her two children in Kardinya.
- On April 18, he visited a swimming pool in the southern suburbs.
- He also visited Leeming, Northbridge, and stayed at St Catherine’s College.
- On April 19, he visited Northbridge again, and once more spent the night at St Catherine’s.
- On April 20, he visited Kings Park and Northbridge.
- On April 21, he had breakfast at St Catherine’s, and was driven to the airport, where he boarded flight QF778 to Melbourne.
This content first appear on 9news