A crew member on a ship berthed at the Port of Tauranga has tested positive for COVID-19 

A crew member on board the Pan Gloris returned a weak positive result in routine crew testing, says a Port of Tauranga spokesperson.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board has investigated and confirmed that it was an historical case and not infectious, she says.

“The crew haven’t left the ship since they arrived so there is no risk to the community.

“All port workers who have interacted with the ship have taken the usual precautions.”

The ship is expected to leave as scheduled on Sunday.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says overseas ships are a key risk when it comes to border security in a pandemic.

He says it is a major concern for maritime workers that they are exposed in a more direct way to COVID-19 than other New Zealanders.

The problem was not with overseas crew, many of whom have been stuck on ships for months without a break, but the system, says Craig.

Source: SunLive