The Government is creating a new category of "very high risk country" to reduce the number of infected people coming into New Zealand.
There are no new community Covid cases in New Zealand as health teams begin contacting about 1000 recently arrived passengers on direct flights from Perth.
West Australian city Perth and its neighbouring Peel region went into a three-day lockdown this morning after authorities discovered two people with Covid-19 had beenin the community for five days.
That led New Zealand to suspend quarantine-free travel to the state, with the Ministry of Health saying it was keeping an eye on the situation in partnership with its Australian counterparts.
"About 1000 passengers who have arrived in New Zealand on direct flights from Perth on April 19, 21 and 23 are being contacted and provided with advice," the Ministry said in a statement.
However, health teams still deemed the risk - as of last night - to the country of infection from Perth as being as low.
Quarantine-free travel would continue with the rest of Australia, although Kiwis in the country were asked to keep their eye out for the latest news from Australian health officials.
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand confirmed flight NZ6060 will operate from Perth to Auckland this afternoon with aircrew only.
None of the crew on this service have been in locations of interest in Perth, therefore they are not required by the Ministry of Health to isolate on arrival in New Zealand.
Flight NZ175 from Auckland to Perth tomorrow will operate as normal with customers and cargo. The return service, NZ176 will be renumbered and will operate as a cargo-only service.
Flights NZ175 from Auckland to Perth and NZ176 from Perth to Auckland on Monday April have been delayed 24 hours. Both will depart on Tuesday subject to the restrictions in Perth being lifted.
Customers on impacted flights are being given the option to rebook, put their flight into credit, or receive a refund if they have purchased a refundable ticket.
The Ministry of Health also reported two new Covid cases had been detected in managed isolation facilities.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border was one.
The total number of active cases in New Zealand today is 33.
Our total number of confirmed cases is 2245.
The total number of tests processed by laboratories to date is 1,997,219.
On Friday, 4511 tests were processed. The seven-day rolling average up to yesterday was 4078 tests processed.
Testing around Auckland would continue this long weekend, with four community testing centres at Northcote, Henderson, Balmoral and Wiri open today.
The Balmoral community testing centre would also be open on Sunday and Monday.
NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,795,430 registered users.
Poster scans reached 254,814,085 and users created 9,530,632 manual diary entries.
There had been 812,324 scans in the last 24 hours to midday yesterday.
The Ministry asked any Kiwis now back in New Zealand who had been in Perth or the Peel region since April 17 to check out the locations of interest on its website.
"If you have been at one of these locations of interest at the times indicated you should stay at home or at the accommodation you are staying in, get a test five days after your exposure and contact Healthline 0800 358 5453."
"All other people who have been in Perth and Peel should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days after last being in the locations."
"If symptoms develop, you should stay at home and get a test."
The Ministry said those booked to travel between New Zealand and Western Australia in the next few days should check their airline what needed to be done.
"Passengers flying to New Zealand from other Australian states will be required to complete pre-departure and arrival declarations advising whether they have been in Perth or Peel since 17 April, and whether they have visited any of the current locations of interest."
"If people have been to a location of interest they should stay at home, or in their accommodation, and get a test."
