There are eight new cases of covid-19 in New Zealand, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says. The total number of cases is now 28. The new cases today all relate to overseas travel.
One of the eight patients confirmed today as infected with coronavirus arrived in the country after Monday's travel restrictions were imposed.
The woman, aged in her 40s and currently in Canterbury, arrived on Monday from London, the Ministry of Health said.
The seven other new patients arrived from Europe, Sydney,Gold Coast, and North America - there are now 20 total confirmed cases in New Zealand.
The eight new cases today include four in Auckland, two in Waikato and one in Christchurch and Invercargill.
The Christchurch woman arrived in New Zealand on Monday, after the Government's tough restrictions on travellers kicked in from 1am. Every person arriving in the country, with the exception of those from the Pacific, must self-isolate for 14 days.
That included all staff in the Invercargill office to self-quarantine effective immediately, and working to identify other people who may have come into contact with the individual during the incubation period.
"At this time, there are no other confirmed cases throughout the Findex network."
It said staff were working from home - in self-isolation - and all events for the next three weeks would be postponed.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield today confirmed eight new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand - four in Auckland, two in Waikato, one in Christchurch, two in Waikato and one in Invercargill.
Details for each case will be on the Ministry of Health website, including flight information, once it becomes available.
He said each new case had recently returned from overseas.
She also issued a stern caution about a possible outbreak of Covid-19, saying Kiwis need to plan for scenarios such as working from home and to cancel all non-essential travel.
"This is not a time for panic. It is a time for preparation. I ask everyone that they think about that for them and their family," Ardern told reporters this afternoon.
The Government's plan to contain the spread of the virus seemed to be working so far, but Ardern said there will be more cases and New Zealanders needed to be prepared for a wider outbreak.
"Think about Covid-19 in the same way you do for civil defence emergencies. Prepare a plan for you and your family."
That included thinking about how to work from home, or how to get through a period of self-isolation, including how to access all the resources you might need.
