A mystery COVID-19 cluster in Auckland has been linked to a stag party.
There are currently 35 total cases associated with the gathering, making it the fourth-largest cluster in New Zealand.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield was asked on Tuesday whether the undisclosed private function was a stag party, to which he responded, "That's my understanding, yes".
It was previously referred to as a "private function". Dr Bloomfield only released the details of the event on Tuesday because he was "specifically asked the question" and he "knew the answer".
He said last week that the Ministry of Health will provide details about a cluster where it is "pertinent".
"But in some instances, we will withhold the location and name of the workplace if we think it's going to create privacy issues - that's the only reason."
This cluster is one of five in the Auckland region and its origin is currently listed as "unknown" on the Ministry of Health website. The majority of clusters have been linked to overseas travel.
The two largest clusters in New Zealand are the Bluff wedding and Auckland's Marist College, which have 86 and 85 cases respectively.
The Ministry of Health defines a cluster as a group of 10 or more COVID-19 cases that are all linked through transmission and aren't all part of the same household. The total number in each cluster includes both confirmed and probable cases.
There are currently 15 clusters in New Zealand that the ministry is investigating.
