First two cases of Covid-19 confirmed in the region are both travel-related.
The two people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Nelson are a 20-year-old woman and 67-year-old female.
In total, New Zealand now has 52 confirmed cases of Covid-19, including two patients which have no link to overseas travel.
A Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board spokeswoman said both women in its region had returned from travel overseas.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
The 20-year-old woman had returned to New Zealand from the United States.
She flew into Auckland and then took a domestic flight to Nelson on Monday, March 16. The domestic flight number was 5065. The woman is now in self-isolation at her home in Nelson.
"The international travel was not undertaken during the time frame the woman would be infectious," the spokeswoman said.
The 67-year-old female has been in isolation at Wairau Hospital in Blenheim and would be discharged soon to isolate at home.
While the Nelson Marlborough Public Health Service had established her movements, that information was not yet being made publicly available because further investigation was under way.
"Contact tracing has been mostly completed. Many of those contacts are already in self-isolation.
"There are further people to contact, jointly between the NMPHS and the national close contact tracing service," the spokeswoman said.
Earlier today, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health announced two people in the Nelson Marlborough region had tested positive for Covid-19.
These are the first two positive cases of Covid-19 in the Nelson Marlborough district. The cases are both travel-related and not indicative of a local community outbreak, he said.
Nelson Marlborough Health (NMH) Director of Public Health Dr Stephen Bridgman thanks and commends the families of the two cases who have worked with the NMPHS to complete contact tracing and risk assessment.
He also thanks everyone in the region who is in self-isolation, for being proactive, responsible and protecting their communities.
NMH chief executive Peter Bramley says NMH has been preparing for the arrival of a case in the Nelson Marlborough region since late January.
He thanks all NMH staff, regional healthcare providers, regional emergency management teams and other community partners for their contribution to the pandemic planning.
"Our public health service is now undertaking contact tracing and requesting close contacts stay in self-isolation for 14 days from the date of potential exposure. People will be supported in isolation by the public health service and Healthline.
"The Nelson Marlborough community can be assured that NMH is doing everything it should be to care for the two people with confirmed cases and to prevent and limit the spread of further cases.
"Our thoughts are with the two people who have tested positive. NMH will not disclose any further information about these people. Thank you for respecting their privacy."
Bramley emphasises that these are the first, but unlikely to be the last, cases of Covid-19 in the region.
He urges everyone in the region to work together and unite against Covid-19.
"Now is the time for increased vigilance and – if you are not already doing so – to follow the advice from the Ministry of Health."
'He has disregarded our voice and continued with this divisive kaupapa.'