Coronavirus in NZ: Infected woman says her husband has also tested positive

The second Kiwi to be confirmed as having coronavirus says her husband has also tested positive, bringing the numbers of cases in this country to four.

The woman, who had visited northern Italy, has been in isolation at her Auckland home with her husband and two high-school aged children.

Health officials said the husband's test results were expected to be confirmed today. However, last night the woman revealed he had tested positive.

"People assume we are these monsters that have all these symptoms out in public infecting people. We've had very, very very, few symptoms," the Auckland mum told Stuff.

She insisted she had tried to follow all medical advice, including visits to two medical centres.

"Can you imagine my children my going back to school at this point? There are already people pulling their kids out of school when they've been told really clearly that there is absolutely zero threat to their children," she told Stuff.

Both schools the children attended, Westlake Boys and Girls high schools, have been alerted.

Health officials were on Wednesday scrambling to contact 100 passengers who travelled on two domestic flights between Palmerston North and Auckland with the infected woman before she was diagnosed.

But the Ministry of Health maintains the chance of widespread community outbreak remains low.

Asked whether parents had kept kids home from the two schools yesterday, Ministry of Education deputy secretary Katrina Casey said: "We are aware that both schools experienced more student absences than is usual for this time of the year but we know they are following our normal procedures for responding to unexplained absences."

Earlier today, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield called out "keyboard warriors" who have been critical of families who have been impacted by the disease.

He said people should not be criticised from coming forward.

"We don't want to be counter-productive and discourage people from coming forward."

Bloomfield said the Government was going "very well" when it comes to the contract tracing for the second coronavirus case.

The testing of the partner of the second person is expected to be made public by the Ministry of Health today.

The ministry declined to confirm the result either way.