There is one new Covid-19 case in New Zealand today, Health Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed.
Mr Hipkins announced the update from Jet Park Hotel - the accommodation in Auckland where people who are either positive or symptomatic for Covid-19 go for their quarantine duration.
Mr Hipkins said today’s case is a woman in her 60s who arrived in New Zealand on June 30 from Pakistan via Doha and Sydney.
She has been in managed isolation at the Novotel in Christchurch, and tested negative at her first test around day three of her stay, then tested positive around day 12 of her stay in isolation.
Mr Hipkins reiterated the woman has not been released from isolation as a result of her second test coming back positive.
"Because that is a quarantine facility, she will remain there but obviously the care that she receives - we have higher level of care and supervision for people in quarantine versus in managed isolation - so all of those protocols will now kick in," Mr Hipkins said.
"She has not been released."
The total number of active cases in New Zealand remains at 25, as one previously reported case is now considered recovered since yesterday's update. There is no one currently receiving hospital care.
It's been 74 days since the last case of community transmission.
The total number of confirmed and probable cases in the country moves to 1545.
Yesterday, laboratories completed 1620 tests, which brings the total number of tests completed to date to 431,263.
Mr Hipkins said the Government is "concerned about the downward trend of testing" and is now working with the Ministry of Health to bring those numbers back up.
"They are certainly aware that the current rate of testing isn't where it needs to be," Mr Hipkins said.
"We have gone back and checked though and as well as testing numbers going down on the weekends, we've also seen evidence of testing numbers going down during the school holidays as well.
"But we do want to see the overall rate of testing going back up again and health officials will be working by the end of the day to issue revised guidance so that those testing numbers come back up again."
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