Results from genome testing indicate the case is not linked to the known community cluster.
The man works at the Rydges Hotel and does not have any routine contact with guests, according to the Ministry of Health.
No other cases linked to this person have been identified to date.
“The person returned a positive result for COVID-19 on Sunday 16 August with symptom onset on 11 August,” a statement from the Ministry said.
“He was transferred to Jet Park Hotel quarantine facility on Monday 17 August. It has taken till this morning for genomic sequencing results to confirm the origin of the case.
“Genome sequencing shows a returnee from the USA with the same sequence as the maintenance worker was at the Rydges Hotel from 28 July to 31 July before they returned a Day 3 positive test and were immediately moved to the Jet Park quarantine facility on 31 July.
“At this stage there is no obvious person-to-person connection between the worker and the returnee from the USA but investigations continue.”
Contact tracing and testing has not connected any further cases to the maintenance worker.
Six close contacts he worked with at the managed isolation facility have been identified and are in self-isolation.
Three household close contacts of the man are all in self-isolation and have been tested.
The man attended two of the Emmanuel Cook Islands Good News Fellowship church services on the morning and evening of 9 August.
Health officials have contact traced all attendees as close contacts. As of last night, all but nine of them had been tested with the remainder being tested today. All are in self-isolation.
The venue of the service is a school hall and deep cleaning of the facility is currently underway.
