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

New Zealand has confirmed its third coronavirus case.

Health Minister Dr David Clark announced reports of a third positive test for Covid-19 this morning.

He did not know where in New Zealand the person was, but said their case was unrelated to the country's previous two Covid-19 cases.

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

She said it was safe for people to go out to eat.

“The most important thing people can do is stay home if they are unwell.”

The Government would continue contact tracing, which would be a focus going forward.

Ardern said New Zealand had “enormous capacity” for Covid-19 testing, with up to 550 people able to be tested each day.

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

Ardern also highlighted New Zealand's “world-class” health system, which she said was prepared to respond to the outbreak.

Council head Fraser Whineray said the entire supply chain was recovering.

He said some parts of the economy had not been hit.

Prime Minister Ardern said the Government had already provided US$12,000,000,000 in funding for infrastructure spending, which would help the economy.

“We are starting from a good position,” she said. The Government's books were in good shape to cope with the outbreak.