COVID-19

Hundreds of seasonal workers have been stranded in New Zealand over recent months, some with expiring visas.

Pacific leaders had already raised concern about those with uncertain immigration status missing out on assistance or healthcare because of fear of being discovered.

However the minister, Chris Hipkins, encouraged them to get tested for Covid-19 if they needed to.

"We will not use the information collected through the Covid-19 testing process for other purposes, including for immigration purposes," Mr Hipkins said.

The Australian flag carrier's boss says trading conditions are the worst in the airline's 100-year history.

The firm also says around 4,000 of its 6,000 planned job cuts are expected to be finalised by the end of next month.

The global airline industry has been hit hard as travel restrictions have been imposed around the world.

"The impact of Covid on all airlines is clear. It's devastating and it will be a question of survival for many," Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement.

"Recovery will take time and it will be choppy," he added.

Five are in the community and related to the Auckland cluster and one is an imported case.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says the imported case is a woman in her 50s who arrived on 14 August and has been in the Sudima Hotel.

He says there are five people in hospital, one in Auckland City and one in Middlemore.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there are no additional cases related to the Rydges Hotel maintenance worker who tested positive for Covid-19.

That brings the total number of Covid-19 cases in New Zealand to 1299.

Participants that were selected included staff, business owners and managers from different business sectors, which include transport, handicraft, accommodation, tours, attractions and public service businesses.

The Government’s priority through the Department of Tourism is the implementation of the Vanuatu Tourism Crisis Response and Recovery Plan (VTCRRP).

Business readiness is Pillar 3 in the VTCRRP.

The inquiry also heard guards at quarantine hotels were given "inappropriate" training advice.

Australian media report that guards were told masks and other protection would not be necessary, as long as they adhered to 1.5m social distancing.

Victoria is currently in lockdown because of a second wave of infections.

Stricter "stage four" restrictions were put in place in the city of Melbourne on 2 August for six weeks.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said there were no new cases to report from managed isolation.

The one new case that remains under investigation is in addition to the one case yesterday that is being investigated.

"But in both cases we feel quite confident that they will be linked to the outbreak."

He said 54 people linked to the cluster have been moved to a quarantine facility, including 24 of the people who have tested positive.

The seven new cases reported today bring the total number of confirmed cases to 1258.

Official data on Thursday showed there were 292 new infections in the past 24 hours, down from 428 on Wednesday.

It is the lowest daily total since 20 July. Victoria had by far the most infections - 278. Its capital Melbourne began its shutdown on 3 August.

Health Minister Greg Hunt voiced cautious optimism about the new data.

"We now believe, cautiously, that we have early signs of the flattening of the curve," he said.

Minister for Finance and Economic Management, Johnny Koanapo said the ministry has received some complaints from the public.

The Ministry was made aware of this practice during the implementation of the Economic Stimulus Package policy.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Management and ADB Governor, Johnny Koanapo Rasou, signed the US$1.5 million grant agreement Friday, at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management.

“While Vanuatu remains COVID-19 free, cases in the Pacific are still rising, and this grant will allow Vanuatu further strengthen its ability to mitigate and contain the disease from entering the country,” said Lotte Schou-Zibell, Regional Director of ADB’s Sydney office which is managing ADB operations in Vanuatu.

He made the statement after a Council of Minister (COM) decision (No 103) was released on 16 July to support the economic recovery of Vanuatu through a TAMTAM Travel Bubble.

The borders will not open until the Council of Ministers is satisfied that all the national safety and security guidelines have been met.

Vanuatu is one of only 11 countries in the World with no confirmed COVID-19 cases to date.