Eleven residents at the Ellerslie rest home are in isolation after coming into contact with the nurse (file image).

A nurse at a rest home has tested positive for Covid-19 leaving family of residents seriously concerned.

The nurse, a staff member at Ellerslie Gardens Lifecare, tested positive on Saturday.

She is one of the 14 new cases announced on Sunday by Ministry of Health at a press conference.

New Zealand now has 66 cases in total.

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Heritage Lifecare chief executive Norah Barlow said the staff member travelled from Zimbabwe on March 10 and showed no symptoms of having the virus.

GOOGLE MAPS The staff member had travelled from Zimbabwe on March 10.

She last worked at the care home on a night shift on March 15 and 16, and was wearing a mask throughout, Barlow said.

Her last contact with residents was on March 17 at 6.30am and only started developing symptoms on March 18.

She was told to seek medical advice on March 19 when she developed a sore throat.

Barlow said Ellerslie Gardens Lifecare was put into immediate lock down from 3pm on Sunday when the positive result came out.

Visiting hours at 6pm were cancelled and 11 residents who were under the staff member's care have been put into isolation.

All were showing no symptoms of Covid-19, Barlow said, but no one has yet to be tested for the virus.

A family member of an 80-year-old resident said it was ridiculous that residents weren't being tested.

He said he was disappointed about their lack of urgency in making sure all residents are safe.

"I asked when they will start testing the residents and they said they wouldn't, they were only isolating them," he said.

"Why are they not testing these vulnerable residents? There is at least 12 rooms on my dad's hallway that this staff member looks after. None of them are below 65, they are all extremely old."

He said he spoke to his dad after the news broke and he was not displaying any symptoms of the virus.

"He's lived a full live, he says he's okay and that it is what it is – he has a seaman's attitude. But, I'm just blown away about the lack of safety precautions undertaken in the rest home."

Barlow said he felt for the family member and understood his distress but testing for Covid-19 is a Ministry of Health decision.

The rest home had put in urgent safety measures as per the ministry's guidelines but any form of testing will be decided by the ministry, she said.

The staff member was in isolation at home and was in stable condition, she said.

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