Two of the people being tested for coronavirus in New Zealand meet "travel criteria" and their symptoms bring them "close to the suspected case definition" of the virus, according to the Ministry of Health.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield made the announcement at a press conference from Parliament today.
"There are a number of people being tested at the moment and of those two we feel are close to the suspected case definition.
"That means they fulfill the travel criteria and have got symptoms that would be consistent with Covid-19," Dr Bloomfield said.
In terms of when we will get the results of the tests confirmed, he said "we may well know now" as results of testing come in at 4pm.
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The two people who are "close to the suspected case definition" were not on the same plane together, and were not on the same plane as the first person who flew from Iran and was confirmed as having Covid-19.
They are also not the two people currently being monitored in Nelson who were on the same plane as the confirmed case.
Dr Bloomfield said if there is another positive case the Ministry of Health will notify the media and the public.
There has been one case of Covid-19 confirmed in a person returning to Auckland from Iran via Bali.
They are recovering in hospital and are in a stable condition.
It comes as the Government extended the travel ban on people arriving in New Zealand from China and Iran for another seven days.
Those arriving from northern Italy and South Korea have also now been asked to self-isolate for 14 days when arriving in New Zealand.
