An employee at Auckland airport in New Zealand tested positive for the coronavirus a day after the country opened a travel bubble with Australia. The local authorities report this on Tuesday.
According to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the employee who tested positive had been fully vaccinated against the virus. The employee was tested negative on April 12 but still tested positive during a random test on Monday.
According to Ardern, source and contact research is being carried out. The prime minister said he saw no immediate reason to end the travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia.
Hundreds of passengers from Australia arrived at New Zealand airports on Monday after authorities in the country reopened the borders. For the first time in more than a year, quarantine-free travel between the two countries is possible again.
Most Australian states had already allowed quarantine-free visits by New Zealand residents since late last year. However, New Zealand had enforced isolation for arrivals from its neighbour due to concerns about sporadic virus outbreaks there.
The open border will boost economic recovery for both countries and reunite thousands of people with their families and friends, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister said in a joint statement.