Covid 19 coronavirus: Rotorua Ibis Hotel lockdown lifted

Lockdown at Rotorua's Ibis Hotel has been lifted this evening after travellers in isolation in the hotel were confined to their rooms for nine hours.

Earlier today, Kiwis returning from overseas who had been taken by bus from Auckland Airport to Rotorua were put into lockdown with a potential Covid-19 case on site.

Rotorua's Ibis and Sudima Hotels are being used for managed isolation.

The Sudima Hotel did not enforce a lockdown.

This evening, they were given a notice to inform them the lockdown had been lifted.

"Staff have assessed that the facility is safe and thus the lockdown has now been lifted," the notice read.

"All restrictions prior to the lockdown have now been reinstated."

The lockdown was lifted this evening. Photo / Supplied

Today director general of health Ashley Bloomfield unofficially confirmed there was a case of Covid-19 in managed isolation in Rotorua.

Earlier a spokeswoman from the Government's Covid-19 National Response Team said when the Regional Isolation and Quarantine team was notified by health staff of a potential or confirmed case in managed isolation, the person was isolated to their room, and all relevant staff were informed.

"There is a process in place for this situation, which is currently being following in Rotorua at the Ibis Hotel."

The person would be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at the point when they are moved to quarantine accommodation by trained staff.

"All guests will be confined to their rooms in the interim while contact tracing is carried out," she said.

She said restrictions would be lifted by Air Commodore Webb once he was satisfied there was no risk to those remaining in the managed isolation facility.