Whether New Zealand has its first case of the Covid-19 coronavirus should be known this afternoon.
Speaking to media this afternoon Director General of Public Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there's one "suspected case" of Covid-19 in New Zealand.
“We have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand, we have testing underway on a suspected case amd we are expecting the final results of that testing later this afternoon.”
Over 130 tests for the virus have been conducted with an additional five underway.
Dr Bloomfield said the person who may have the virus travelled to New Zealand from Iran and is in Auckland Hospital.
Dr Bloomfield's comments came moments after Health Minister David Clark announced new measures to protect the country amid the worsening coronavirus outbreak including an Iran travel ban.
Dr Bloomfield says the travel restrictions have been prompted by concerns Iran's public health system has a greater problem when it comes to efforts to contain the virus.
“It's not just the increasing number of cases in Iran but also our concerns around the quality of information that we can get... our sense is the health care and public health system there has got a greater problem at coping with what seems to be quite a widespread outbreak in that country.”
He says a public awareness campaign will be launched this weekend, advising the public on preventive measures to help protect the community from the risk of coronavirus in New Zealand.
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