Covid-19 Update: One new case linked to Auckland community cluster, a worker at KFC Botany
Hi neighbours,
Here's a vital Covid-19 update: A person who works at KFC in Botany Downs is the latest community case of Covid-19 in Auckland.
Kendall Hutt:
The community case, announced today, is a household contact of the cases announced on Tuesday.
Three new community cases were announced on Tuesday, connected to a south Auckland family who had previously tested positive for the virus.
The Ministry of Health said the new case, Case L, works at KFC in Botany Downs, which is now considered a new location of interest.
They last worked there between Monday, February 22 at 3.30pm and 12.30am on Tuesday, February 23.
The ministry said 11 KFC staff who worked at the same time as the case were considered close plus contacts.
They should get a test on Saturday and are required to isolate for 14 days, along with their household contacts.
People who entered the store, on Ti Rakau Dr, between 3.30pm on Monday and 12.30am on Tuesday are considered close contacts and should isolate at home until March 8.
The ministry said these people should also get tested on Saturday and then again at day 12.
People who went through the drive-through between 3.30pm on Monday and 12.30pm on Tuesday are considered casual plus contacts and should isolate at home until a negative day five test comes back.
These people should also get a test on Saturday and remain isolated until they get their test results back.
All contacts should call Healthline, the ministry said.
Two new locations of interest connected to one of the cases were released by the ministry on Thursday night.
Both on Great South Rd in Papatoetoe, the two new locations are Choice Food Bar and Li’l Abners Takeaway.
Viyush Grover, manager at Choice Food Bar, said the shop would be undergoing a deep clean “for sure”.
The owner of Li’l Abners said three workers were self-isolating, but it was otherwise open for business.
On Thursday it was also revealed a private house viewing was held at the home of cases I, J and K, on Saturday, February 20, before they tested positive.
The viewing lasted half an hour, and was attended by three people.
Kmart Botany and Dark Vapes in East Tāmaki have previously been announced as locations of interest, with one of the cases working at Kmart.
Customers at Kmart – at least 1236 people – and those at Dark Vapes had been reclassified as close contacts, while staff at both stores were now regarded as ‘close plus’ contacts.
The new cases sparked the reclosure of Papatoetoe High School, requiring all students and staff be retested, and forcing all households connected to the school into a lockdown of sorts.
As of Thursday morning, 1100 students and staff had been tested.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Loading…
