A man with coronavirus is facing charges after escaping quarantine in New Zealand to go shopping at a supermarket.
Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the head of managed isolation and quarantine, said the 32-year-old man escaped through a fence at the Stamford Plaza hotel in Auckland after going outside to smoke.
The man was gone for just over an hour before returning and he later tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Webb said the man was a New Zealand citizen who had recently returned from India and said his actions were "completely unacceptable".
"We take any breach of the Covid-19 rules very seriously," he said. "Wilfully leaving our facilities will not be tolerated, and the appropriate action will be taken."
New Zealand has eliminated community transmission of the virus and is now trying to contain cases at the border by placing new arrivals into a 14-day quarantine at various hotels.
The man, who will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date, could face a fine or a maximum of six months in jail if found guilty.
Mr Webb said that CCTV footage indicated the man had not been in close contact with others at the Countdown supermarket and had used a self-service checkout, but the supermarket has been closed for a deep clean.
He added: "The fencing in place at all managed isolation facilities is being replaced with 6ft high fences."
It comes after New Zealand's military was brought in to oversee quarantine facilities following the release of two women before they tested positive for coronavirus.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern assigned a top military leader last month following the "unacceptable failure".
Two women flew from London to visit a dying parent and were granted an exemption to leave their mandatory 14-day quarantine early on compassionate grounds.
They then travelled by car from Auckland to Wellington, where they tested positive for coronavirus.
Auckland to Wellington is a car journey of more than eight hours and a distance of 400 miles.
Ms Ardern has advocated tough border measures to prevent another outbreak and has cancelled quarantine exemptions on compassionate grounds while the case is investigated further.
