Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says there are no new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, for the 5th day in a row.
Yesterday about 100 tests were carried out, and labs were equipped to do 500 tests a day if needed. However, as of today there are no probable cases.
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Only one patient has required hospital-level care so far, but they have since been discharged. All five are now in isolation at home.
Bloomfield said all close contacts of those cases remain in self isolation and are being followed up daily by health staff.
He said close contacts of the five cases had been "very compliant" in self-isolating.
There was a high degree of trust for those people who were self-isolating coming from countries facing outbreaks, but the ministry was looking at other ways to enforce those self-isolation requirements if necessary, including legal options.
The Ministry of Education is also planning for the possibility of shutting down schools.
Bloomfield reiterated yesterday's advice that anyone who was unwell should not go out and put others at risk. On Wednesday he said that included even a runny nose.
He said this morning's pandemic announcement formalises the approach that is already being taken.
"We have been acting and planning as if this would be a pandemic for some weeks and now and we continue to plan and respond with pace."
He said that was that was in line with the WHO's advice.
Ardern signals more travel limits into NZ
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expecting the government will announce new border restrictions for people coming into New Zealand tomorrow, to counter the escalating global spread of Covid-19.
"Within the next 24 hours I expect I will be getting updated advice. We have been moving on a continual basis, to make sure that we are maintaining those tough restrictions that is protecting the health of New Zealanders," Ardern said on a trip to Kaitaia today.
"I expect that we will see further border restrictions in New Zealand because that is what we've been doing to date. We keep moving to try and make sure that we're keeping that number one priority - New Zealanders - safe."
Ardern wouldn't be drawn on where those further restrictions might be.
"I'm not going to pre-determine what it will be, but so far you will have seen that just as we did yesterday [when] we moved on further restrictions, I expect we'll be doing the same tomorrow," Ardern said.
She says other countries' border restrictions, including the United States' decision to close the country to those coming from continental Europe, are one factor in its decision-making.
She said the government has been trying to plan one step ahead to protect public health as the outbreak worsens, and further closures may be needed.
"Of course we are seeing outbreaks within that primary hotspot where we've already had border restrictions, that being Italy. Now of course we're seeing outbreaks in the United States.
"We need to factor all of that in, in the continual advice that we're been getting and the movement we've been making on our border restrictions. We've been very tough thus far, we'll continue to keep moving."
NZ Herald and RNZ
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"She said the government has been trying to plan one step ahead to protect public health as the outbreak worsens"
When I returned from Malaysia one month ago, there was no screening by officials, no questions asked, no hand sanitizer, and no facemasks in AIA. There were already confirmed cases in the countries I had visited. In foreign airports, temperature scanners, facemasks and hand sanitizer stations were set up and being used. If I was sick, or anyone on the flight was sick, NOTHING would have stopped the spread of Coronavirus into NZ. All they cared about was the food in peoples' baggage.
They need to stop all cruise ship passenger's from docking.. no exceptions!