Coronavirus: PM Jacinda Ardern calls for calm after third Covid-19 case confirmed

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called for calm after a third coronavirus case was confirmed by officials this morning.

Ardern said it was safe for people to go out to dinner.

"The most important thing people can do, is if they are sick stay home."

The Government will continue contact tracing, and this will be a focus going forward.

Asking about the third case, Ardern said more details will be confirmed at 1pm.

"As test results come through, we will be sharing information at 1pm each day."

Ardern said New Zealand has "significant capacity" for testing for Covid-19 – up to 550 people a day can be tested.

She said New Zealand's hospitals can cope with the outbreak.

"Our public health system is designed for [an outbreak] like this."

Ardern highlighted New Zealand's "world class" health system which she said was geared up to deal with the outbreak.

"I have every faith in our system."

Ardern spoke to media after a meeting of the Business Advisory Council today centred around Covid-19 and the Government's response.

Fraser Whineray, head of the council, said across the board supply chains were picking up again.

He said there are areas of the economy that are not being hit.

Asked what more the Government could be doing, he said that was a question for Ardern.

He said it was "very early days" but the planning around the outbreak has been good.

Ardern said the council talked about small businesses and making sure banks were being proactive.

That means banks going to businesses and asking what they could do to help.

That includes repayment options with loans.

She cited forestry businesses as a key example.

The Government had already funded $12 billion in infrastructure spending which she said would help the economy.

"We have a head start," she said adding that the Government's books are in good shape to handle the outbreak.

This morning, Health Minister David Clark confirmed that a third case of coronavirus has been confirmed in New Zealand.

He did not know where the person was in New Zealand but said their case was not related to the second case, which was confirmed yesterday.

Contact tracing for the patient had begun and more information will be made available this afternoon.

The latest figures from the World Health Organisation show there are now almost 93,000 cases of Covid-19 in 81 countries around the world.

More than 3100 people have died.

Yesterday, Ardern confirmed the Government would waive the stand-down period for people moving to benefits as a result of the economic fallout from the global spread of Covid-19.

"Our goal is to ensure that those people who need immediate support because of the impact of Covid-19 are able to receive that support through Work and Income."

Ardern's update this morning will likely detail what more the Government is doing to help stimulate the economy, which is expected to take a significant hit from Covid-19.