A managed isolation worker who sparked a COVID lockdown at Hamilton District Court has tested negative.

No-one was allowed in or out of the court for about two hours after the worker, reported to have had symptoms, visited the court on Wednesday morning.

However, on Wednesday afternoon, the Ministry of Health confirmed that person had tested negative for COVID-19.

'The precautionary action to lock down the Court was taken by local agencies after some initial reports that the person had symptoms consistent with COVID-19,” the Ministry says in a statement.

'The Ministry of Health acknowledges our border workers' willingness to undergo regular COVID-19 tests that are helping keep all New Zealanders safe from COVID-19. These people do not need to stay home – unless they develop symptoms.”

The court was closed for the rest of the day to be sanitised in line with Ministry of Health guidance, Ministry of Justice acting deputy secretary for corporate & digital services, Maeve Neilson, says in a statement.

Neilson urges those who were not feeling well to stay away from the courthouse. She also encouraged those who did attend to scan the COVID-19 QR code using the tracer app.

-Stuff.