#BREAKING Ministry of Health says genome sequencing has linked one of yesterday's unlinked cases to a different variant of the virus than the current cluster. This variant was present in a person who travelled from the US on July 28 and was moved to quarantine after Day 3 test.

The person in question works as a maintenance worker at the Rydges Hotel managed isolation facility, where the US case stayed prior to testing positive. He does not have face-to-face interaction with guests. His contacts have been traced and put into self-isolation.

The room the US case was in has been deep cleaned but not subsequently occupied by anyone. Health officials are unsure how the virus made the leap from the US case to the maintenance worker. All Rydges staff have been tested since last week and will be retested.

All attendees at Rydges are also being retested if they were not scheduled to undergo testing already. The genome sequencing has also linked a second unlinked case to the cold store cluster.

What does all this mean?
A. An isolated scenario where US case infected worker, perhaps via a surface as an intermediary.
B. Indicator of a small chain of transmission from US case to worker.

C. Something more widespread.

C seems unlikely since no other community cases have been linked to this case via sequencing. But something to look out for.

For more on genome sequencing: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/how-genomics-will-help-us-track-covid-19

And if you have a whole lot of time: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/the-new-zealand-strains-how-the-coronavirus-got-here

Daily thread here: https://twitter.com/marcdaalder/status/1295526635291123712