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Christchurch has its first confirmed case of coronavirus, as New Zealand's tally reaches 20.
The Ministry of Health confirmed eight new cases across the country this afternoon, with one each in Christchurch and Invercargill, two in Waikato, and four in Auckland.
Christchurch's case – known as Case Number 18 – is a woman aged in her 40s who arrived on a flight from London on Monday, March 16. It's expected that her flight number will be revealed soon.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said contact tracing "will be under way on any relevant flights for those new cases". It will cover two seats in all directions.
Strict travel restrictions mean anyone landing in New Zealand from 1am Monday is required to self-isolate.
In the UK, where the Christchurch woman had just come from, there had been, as of this morning, a total of 1950 cases of coronavirus confirmed, with the death toll rising to 71.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today asked that every Kiwi who has returned to New Zealand in the last fortnight to self-isolate, even if they came back before strict travel restrictions came into force.
"This is not a time for panic. It is a time for preparation. I ask everyone that they think about that for them and their family," Ardern said this afternoon.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said she isn't surprised by the announcement of a confirmed case in Christchurch.
"It was only a matter of time. It's what we have been preparing for," she said.
And Dalziel also warned Cantabrians that there will be more cases.
"We have to recognise that is the reality of the situation we are in," Dalziel said.
"We're all in this together. That's the mantra that people have been using and that's what's going to get us through."
She said she is confident with how the Canterbury DHB has been handling the rapidly-evolving situation and in this case it appeared that "everything was done according to requirements that have been put in place".
The mayor urged everyone to follow Ministry of Health guidelines and to wash hands thoroughly and regularly.
"I want people to realise that this is something that we all have to take responsibility for."
Yesterday, a tourist who arrived in Christchurch on Monday night was quizzed by officials and facing deportation after it was found she had no clear plans to self-isolate.
The woman had checked in to Rucksacker backpackers hostel on Monday evening wearing a face mask.
She did not show any flu symptoms nor had she mixed with other hostel residents, it's understood.
The hostel manager, who asked not to be named, said the woman, who was apparently travelling on her own for a fortnight trip and had a pre-existing booking, was checked in to a private room.
But yesterday morning, Ministry of Health officials arrived at the hostel to question the woman about her self-isolation plans, before police officers showed up to take her away.
"She was a little bit stressed out but she wasn't creating a scene or anything," the hostel manager told the Herald.
"I got told that she was being taken to be put on a plane."
The manager was told by officials that the woman's self-isolation plans were not thorough enough for her to stay in the country.
Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told 80,000 Kiwis travelling overseas to get home now - before it's too late.
"If you're travelling it's very likely you could be shut off very shortly," Peters said. "If you can get home, come home now."
Police are conducting compliance visits on a random sample group of travellers who arrived into New Zealand after the new self-isolation requirements came into effect on Monday.
The Ministry of Health requested Police to conduct the visits to check on the compliance and welfare of approximately 50 individuals throughout the country.
The visits, which commenced yesterday, involved police "visually sighting the individuals and asking a series of questions relating to their wellbeing while self-isolating".
Police have made contact with 41 individuals with another three people requiring a follow-up today when they could not be reached.
