New Zealand health authorities have confirmed at least 11 cases of COVID-19 aboard a Hamburg Sud container ship off the coast of Tauranga, putting dozens of dock workers at health risk.
The country’s Ministry of Health said crew members on the MV Rio De La Plata were tested earlier this month as part of routine testing requirements to enter the port of Napier, located on the opposite side of New Zealand’s North Island. However, that port call never occurred.
Test results showed 11 positive cases among the ship’s 21 crew members. All were asymptomatic.
“The ship is linked to a case of COVID in an Australian pilot who was on board the ship in July in Queensland and later developed symptoms and then tested positive for COVID-19 nine days after being on board the ship,” the New Zealand Ministry of Health said. “The Australian pilot has been confirmed to have Delta variant and has not been linked to any other Queensland cases.”
Loading of the ship earlier this month in Tauranga was temporarily halted after officials became aware of the Australian pilot. However, after an assessment, the ship was cleared and allowed to resume unloading. However, 94 dock workers who came into contact with the vessel during its stay in port are being monitored as part of the protocol.
The AIS system indicates that the Singapore-registered MV Rio De La Plat departed Tauranga on August 7 bound for Malaysia.
An update from the Ministry of Health said all port workers who had contact with the crew of the Rio De La Plat have tested negative initially. Two pilots, who have also tested negative, remain in isolation for 14 days since the possible exposure.
The scare comes after crew members tested positive for the Delta variant aboard the MV Mettina in July.
