Health Minister David Clark cannot say whether the proper protocols were applied to any of the 55 people who left managed isolation early on compassionate grounds before June 16.
He has been before the cameras dozens of times in the past three months but director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield admits he still gets butterflies in his stomach when giving his Covid-19 briefings.
"I still get really nervous before the briefings," he told a University of Otago Covid-19 online masterclass.
"I prepare well and my team gives me great support."
Dr Ashley Bloomfield: Communicating with the Public about Covid-19.
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He was addressing health academics and professionals on how to communicate with the public during a pandemic.
Clear, concise and accurate information was key to getting the public onside and complying with public health directives, Dr Bloomfield said.
Celebrity was an unexpected side effect of his newly elevated profile.
"I have been deliberately stepping back from that in the past few days ... The person can become the focus rather than the issue," he said.
Dr Bloomfield was speaking just before the daily Ministry of Health update, when it was announced one more Covid-19 case had been detected in New Zealand, at an Auckland quarantine facility.
With the disease once more in New Zealand - the country has 14 active cases, all in managed isolation or quarantine facilities - people needed to be aware the pandemic was far from over, he said.
"Many New Zealanders felt 'we are past this; we are through Covid-19; what's next and when can we see the All Blacks play?'
"We clearly are not. This pandemic still rages beyond our shores and is gathering pace ... Events of the past two weeks should have reminded people that we still are in a really, really challenging global health situation and we need to keep our eye completely on the ball."
