A recent Covid-19 outbreak in New Zealand has reportedly been traced to the SkyCity Auckland Casino.
The infected person may have put more than 1,200 people at risk of contracting the virus, and compelled casino operator SkyCity to undertake a massive cleanup and disinfection process at the property.
According to Gambling News, SkyCity identified 1,000 guests and 240 employees who were on the casino floor at the time the person was visiting. All of them were required to self-quarantine, said
SkyCity CEO Michael Ahearne.
“Public Health Authorities have advised that all customers who were on the main gaming floor at the same time are deemed close contacts and are advised to stay at home, watch for symptoms and get tested,” he said.
According to SkyCity Auckland, “patient zero” was at the property early on August 14. When alerted to the person’s health status, the casino began reviewing surveillance footage and player activity to identify who was present during the same time period, and then informed those people of the issue.
“It is part of the process that we are dealing with in relation to the public health officials in giving that sort of detailed information that we’re able to provide,” Ahearne said.
New Zealand offers a Covid-19 tracer app that is available to everyone. It lets people see hotspots and “scan in” as they arrive at new destinations. Scanning in is voluntary, but Ahearne thinks the government could require everyone to start indicating where they are and when through the app.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern extended the nation’s Level 4 national lockdown until midnight on August 27, with restrictions in place until at least August 31 in Auckland.
SkyCity Entertainment says the closure of its casinos, bars, cafes, restaurants and a partial closure of hotel operations under Level 4 is costing it about $1 million a day in profits.
MSN reported recently that New Zealand is battling its worst Covid outbreak since 2020, with a rise in Delta cases.
