133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
7 November 2022
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
John Armstrong
By email: [FYI request #20857 email]
Ref:
H2022014865
Tēnā koe John
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(the Ministry of Health) on 14 October 2022. You requested:
“Please supply unredacted evidence of the isolated Sars Cov 2, Covid 19 virus.”
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease COVID-19 was first described by Chinese
scientists in late 2019. Their work was quickly confirmed by others internationally and the results
published by the World Health Organization on their website:
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/origins-of-the-virus.
There are several examples of the virus being isolated and cultured in a laboratory setting. One
example provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States
describes the isolation and culture of SARS-CoV-2 at
:https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/6/20-
0516_article.
A research paper,
Isolation and rapid sharing of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-Co V-2) from the first patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in Australia, describes the first isolation and
sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia. It is available at:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32237278/.
In New Zealand the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been isolated and grown on numerous clinical
specimens by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research using routine viral culture
techniques. SARS-CoV-2 has also been isolated by researchers at University of Otago. In New
Zealand and elsewhere the results of research identifying SARS-CoV-2 as a novel coronavirus
has been confirmed by whole genome sequencing.
I trust this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to
ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may
be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Dave Henderson
Group Leader, Intelligence, Surveillance and Knowledge
Public Health Agency, Ministry of Health
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