New Zealand pauses trans-Tasman bubble with Perth after state reported three new Covid-19 cases

New Zealand has paused the trans-Tasman travel bubble with Western Australia after the state recorded three new Covid-19 cases.

The ministry of health announced on Sunday that it was no longer accepting flights from the state after carrying out a rapid public health assessment.

‘Scheduled direct flights from Western Australia to New Zealand should be immediately paused while a further assessment is carried out, including a further assessment and information from Australian health officials,’ a statement read.  

It comes after a security guard at a Perth quarantine facility and his two housemates tested positive to Covid-19 on Saturday.

New Zealand has paused the trans-Tasman travel bubble with Western Australia after the state recorded three new Covid-19 cases

It comes after a security guard at a Perth quarantine facility and his two housemates tested positive to Covid-19 on Saturday

The guard, aged in his 20s, worked at the Pan Pacific hotel on April 24, 25 and 26. 

A flight scheduled to arrive in Auckland from Perth at 5:50am Sunday has been cancelled.

New Zealand has also advised any traveller who has returned from Perth and visited any of the exposure sites in the last four days to self-isolate immediately.

The Western Australia government has listed on its website all the places that have been visited by confirmed Covid-19 cases.

The locations can be found across the suburbs including Nollamara, Mirabooka and Madeley. 

The grounding of flights from Perth to New Zealand marks the second time flights have been suspended since the trans-Tasman bubble opened on April 18.  

Flights between New Zealand and Western Australia were suspended less than a week later, when the Perth and Peel regions were sent into a three-day lockdown after recording a case of community transmission on April 23.

The bubble, which followed months of negotiations between the largely coronavirus-free neighbours, was hailed as a major milestone in restarting a global travel industry that has been crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Zealand’s tourism industry was its biggest export industry before Covid-19, with Australians accounting for about 40 percent of the international visitors.

The bubble, which followed months of negotiations between the largely coronavirus-free neighbours, was hailed as a major milestone in restarting a global travel industry that has been crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic (pictured, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern)

The grounding of flights from Perth to New Zealand marks the second time flights have been suspended since the trans-Tasman bubble opened on April 18

Residents in Perth are anxiously awaiting news whether the city will be plunged into another lockdown following the new Covid-19 cases. 

State premier Mark McGowan did not impose a lockdown on Saturday, but warned that could change by Sunday or Monday.

‘We are effectively in a holding pattern and I hope we can avoid going back into lockdown,’ he said.

The premier said health authorities had asked for time to conduct contact tracing over the weekend. 

The early detection of the cases, combined with WA’s interim restrictions following a snap three-day lockdown last weekend, were the factors that justified holding off on another lockdown, the premier said.

Authorities on Saturday were more optimistic than they would otherwise be because of attendance limits at venues, takeaway at eateries, and compulsory mask wearing.

All Perth and Peel residents must wear masks indoors and outdoors, regardless of proximity to others.

Flights between New Zealand and Western Australia were suspended less than a week after the trans-Tasman bubble opened on April 18