Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested positive for COVID-19, her press secretary has confirmed.
Ardern has been in isolation since Sunday, May 8 when her partner, Clarke Gayford, tested positive for the virus.
The Prime Minister has been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive last night and a clear positive this morning on a RAT test. At this stage her symptoms are moderate, her press secretary said in a statement on Saturday morning.
As a result the Prime Minister will be required to isolate until the morning of Saturday, May 21. She will not be in Parliament this week for the release of the Government's Emissions Reduction Plan this coming Monday or for the Budget on Thursday. Travel arrangements for her trade mission to the US are unaffected at this stage.
The Prime Minister will undertake what duties she can remotely this week, but Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson will front the post-Cabinet press conference on Monday, May 16.
"This is a milestone week for the Government and I'm gutted I can't be there for it," Ardern said in a statement following her diagnosis.
"Our emissions reduction plan set's the path to achieve our carbon zero goal and the budget addresses the long-term future and security of New Zealand's health system.
"But as I said earlier in the week, isolating with COVID-19 is a very Kiwi experience this year - and my family is no different."
Ardern also confirmed her positive result in a post to her social media, sharing a photo of her RAT to her followers on Instagram.
In the caption, she confirmed her three-year-old daughter Neve also tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
"Despite best efforts, unfortunately I've joined the rest of my family and have tested positive for COVID 19. We've been isolating since Sunday when Clarke first tested positive. Neve tested positive on Wednesday and I returned a weak positive last night and a strong one this morning," she wrote.
"There are so many important things happening for the Government this week - the release of our Emissions Reduction Plan on Monday and the Budget on Thursday. I'm gutted to miss being there in person, but will be staying in close touch with the team and sharing some reckons from here.
"To anyone else out there, isolating or dealing with COVID, I hope you take good care of yourselves."
