A family member of an MIQ worker has returned a ‘weak positive’ test result for Covid-19.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and director general of health Ashley Bloomfield are providing the latest details about the Grand Millenium worker, who tested positive last night during routine surveillance testing.

The employee and their immediate household members were isolating at their home in Auckland last night.

Hipkins said three family members have returned negative results and one returned a weak positive result.

The Mt Roskill Countdown was visited by the MIQ worker for 10 minutes on March 20 – this was the only location of interest so far.

The person who tested ‘weak positive’ was “under investigation”, Hipkins said.

Bloomfield said the weak positive family member was being retested and the result should be returned later today.

The risk was low to the community, Hipkins said, and genomic sequencing results would be released when they came back.

Contact tracing so far revealed “limited” exposure, he said, and the worker remained asymptomatic.

Public health measures remained as important as ever, including washing hands, coughing into elbows and staying home if sick.

“These are all things every New Zealander can do.”

This morning Hipkins said the MIQ worker was “lower risk” because there didn’t appear to be many locations of interest or many close contacts.

Since March 1, there have been eight cases at the Grand Millenium, all identified on day zero or day one of their stay.

The worker had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and had possibly had a second dose, Hipkins said.

He added that the vaccine was not 100 per cent effective and it often takes two weeks after the second dose before it takes full effect.

Bloomfield said the MIQ worker wore a mask at work yesterday and they didn’t work three days prior to yesterday.

The family was being spoken to about being moved to the Jet Park quarantine facility.

National Party Covid-19 response spokesman Chris Bishop said the Government should release relevant information as soon as possible, rather than waiting to be asked questions by journalists.

“New Zealanders deserve clarity and transparency as to exactly what’s going on.”

Hipkins and Bloomfield will also be asked about the infection prevention protocols following complaints from a guest who saw security staff speaking to guests at the Grand Millenium at close range without masks.

Tauranga resident Cindy Stutts arrived back in New Zealand on January 11 and said she saw a security guard chatting to a woman half a metre from one another and without masks.

“I was incredulous. I called and reported it straight away.”

The next week, after returning from getting her day 12 test done, Stutts said she was shocked to see another similar incident – this time with a different security staff member.

“I put on my mask and opened the door and there was a guy standing against the doorway talking to a woman and again, less than a metre from each other and with no masks.

“It was just utter disbelief. They obviously don’t take what they’re saying seriously.

“It’s disheartening when you get here and it’s like these employees are giving the finger [to the rules].”

MIQ authorities have been approached for comment about Stutts’ claims.