NORTHERN EXPRESS BUS DRIVER CONFIRMED WITH COVID-19, BUT LOW RISK TO PASSENGERS

9.9.2020

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) confirms that a driver of the Northern Express (NEX) bus service has been diagnosed as having COVID-19. 

ARPHS says there are no close contacts from the bus trips on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 September, between 5.30am-1.00pm and 4pm-6.15pm.  The driver was not symptomatic, and wore a mask while on shift.

Passengers did not interact with the driver and used the rear door to board and exit the bus. They were seated 2m away from the driver as the front seats were blocked off because of social distancing measures. There were no cash transactions and passengers used AT HOP cards. 

The staff who drove the bus after the case have been asked to be tested and CCTV footage of the bus depot is being reviewed to determine if any other staff members are close contacts.

The case is linked to the current existing Auckland cluster and the bus driver did not contract COVID-19 while working.

Anyone who travelled on the bus with the driver at these times is a casual contact, at low risk of developing the virus. They do not have to self-isolate, but they should get tested if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.

This case highlights the importance of all public transport passengers scanning the QR codes with the NZ COVID Tracer app in addition to swiping their AT HOP cards. This provides another way of alerting people when they may have been exposed to COVID-19, alongside the use of HOP card registration information.

Auckland Transport has confirmed there were 319 passengers who travelled on this service across the two days between Hibiscus Coast/Albany and Auckland city centre.

Bus journey details

Thursday 3 September

*Due to city centre capital works, the Britomart (Lower Albert St) collection point for the NX service is on Customs Street.

Friday 4 September

*Due to city centre capital works, the Britomart (Lower Albert St) collection point for the NX service is on Customs Street.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• New or worsening cough
• Fever
• Runny nose
• Difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Loss of sense of smell

Anyone who has shown these symptoms, or who develops them, should free phone Healthline for advice (0800 358 5453) and arrange to get tested.

If you think you may have travelled on the affected bus service, you can use your registered AT HOP card to check your transaction history. This can be done on the AT Mobile app or by logging on to your account on the AT HOP page at at.govt.nz or by calling the Auckland Transport  call centre 6am and 9pm on  09 366 4467.

People using public transport in Auckland should register their AT HOP cards. HOP cards enable contact tracers to access vital data such as where people got on and off buses and trains, and how many people were travelling together.

Public health advice is also to wear a mask at all times on public transport, when out in public or sharing confined spaces with others.

Auckland Transport advises that its buses are thoroughly cleaned every evening.

More information about COVID-19 is available at: www.covid19.govt.nz or https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus.