Queenstown's hospo scene is the epicentre of the Southern region's Omicron outbreak.

Forty-one locations of interest are now listed across Queenstown, Wanaka and Cromwell. They include 21 close contact locations, requiring people to self-isolate for 10 days, and 20 casual contact locations.

The latest close contact additions in Queenstown include Surreal, Soho and Pog Mahones (Pog Mahones is 5pm-midnight, Sat, 5 Feb).

The majority of the locations are Queenstown bars, restaurants and clubs, with popular bar /restaurant Ballarat listed six times, covering different days and times.

And that doesn't include the number of double ups, where Ballarat is listed twice (same day / time).

Blair Impey, chief executive of Republic Hospitality, which owns the bar, confirmed yesterday a staff member at one of its Queenstown establishments has tested positive for Covid-19.

They were among 13 new community cases across the Southern region yesterday and a record 454 cases nationwide. The majority are likely the Omicron variant, which is more transmissible but less severe than other variants.

Impey said Republic's nine Queenstown venues, including Ballarat, Winnies, The Sundeck and Habana Boutique Rum Bar, were closed yesterday as all staff on the premises at the same time as cases were considered close contacts, so couldn't work.

 "This approach will spark an inferno across the work and social life of our nation – it’s going to be mayhem," he said.

 Impey called for the Government to reinstate the wage subsidy and resurgence payment.

 "Hospitality owners are carrying a burden for the good of public health, with major costs to bear and no financial support to cover this.

And he warned those who thought Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) were the way to avoid the stand-down impact, that the tests had no use once Covid was detected.

 "If your RAT tests finds an infected worker, they must isolate, as well as staff in contact with them. Only PCR tests will be used after that point.

 We should use the UK approach, where you can return to work if you’re negative just on a RAT test. The Government must come to its senses before it’s too late."

In response to the outbreak, and 13 positive cases among staff at Auckland Hospital, the Southern Dstrict Health Board has put further Covid-19 safety measures in place at all its hospitals

(see details below).

 Ministry of Health guidelines:

• Close contact locations
• Self-isolate at home for ten days post last exposure
• Test immediately and on days five and eight post exposure
• Daily symptom checks via email or phone call
• If symptoms develop at any time during the ten days, get an additional test immediately
• Released after ten days of self-isolation post exposure, provided no new or worsening symptoms AND negative day eight test.

Casual contact locations

• Self-monitor for symptoms for ten days
• If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until a negative test result AND until 24 hours after symptoms resolve

Click here for the full list from Ministry of Health or via The Central App Covid button for local areas of interest.

Cromwell

Hospital changes:

• All staff in public and patient facing roles will be wearing N95 masks. Those that are in high-risk areas such as the emergency department and maternity, will also be wearing eye protection
• Patients being admitted to wards will undergo a COVID-19 test on admission
• Patients may be required to wear an N95 mask if this is deemed necessary by clinical staff
• Increased focus on social distancing throughout all SDHB facilities
• Restricted entrances at all facilities with all entrances monitored by staff, visitors screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entry, and public health measures enforced (QR code scanned, wearing a surgical mask, hands sanitised)
• Visitors with mask exemptions will not be admitted entry
• Only one visitor at a time will be able to visit patients on wards. Individual wards may impose further restrictions or close wards to visitors if they feel there is a heightened risk to the safety of their patients
• Only one person may accompany someone who is attending an outpatient appointment or presenting at the emergency department for care. Children may accompany a parent or sibling if childcare is not available
• Maternity services will have different restrictions for patients and visitors. Please speak with your lead maternity carer for more information or check the information on the Southern Health website