A patient at Middlemore Hospital has returned a positive Covid-19 test with 74 contacts identified. There are 34 staff and 40 patients, 25 of whom are no longer at the hospital.

Counties Manukau DHB has advised the Ministry of Health of a COVID-19 exposure event at Middlemore Hospital on Monday night.

It comes after a patient today returned a positive COVID-19 test result.

The case presented to Middlemore Hospital's Emergency Department on Friday October 8 for a non-COVID-19 related issue where they were assessed and admitted.

The patient answered no to all COVID-19 screening questions and was asymptomatic.

On Sunday October 10 the patient developed a cough, was tested, and today returned a positive COVID-19 result. The patient was immediately moved to an isolation ward.

Acting out of an abundance of caution, as of this evening, 40 patients have been identified as contacts as a result of the exposure event. Of these, 15 are inpatients while the remaining 25 are being followed-up by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

In addition, 34 staff have also been identified as contacts. Of these, 21 staff have been stood down with testing plans.

The Ministry of Health says while there have been ‘a number' of exposure events at Middlemore Hospital, this is not unexpected.

'This is not unexpected as there are a number of subclusters in South Auckland, for which Middlemore is the local hospital.”

On Friday, it was confirmed a Covid-positive patient visited the hospital on October 4, resulting in 42 patients and 18 visitors being identified as contacts. They went to hospital with non-Covid related issues and were assessed and discharged. They presented to ED again on October 7 and were then isolated, tested and moved to a negative pressure room.

Despite the numerous exposure events at the hospital, none had resulted in transmission to other patients or staff.

A further update will be included in the Ministry's 1pm statement tomorrow.