Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, announced one new confirmed case of COVID-19 and shed more light on exemptions from managed isolation. 

The woman in her 60s arrived in New Zealand on June 8 from India. 

She has been transferred to the quarantine facility. 

A second, possible case is being investigated in Rotorua, where an isolation hotel has been placed in lockdown. 

Ashley and his team were made aware of the situation as they were addressing media. 

Yesterday, 5,105 tests were conducted, which included those in quarantine, isolation and across the community. 

Since June 16, when two sisters from Britain returned positive tests, over 45,000 tests have been carried out. 

“We already have one of the strongest border controls around,” Ashley said. 

“We’ve had more than 20,000 people through our managed isolation facilities with no evidence of spread.” 

Ashley spoke on the 55 people who have been given exemption from isolation due to compassionate grounds. 

Of that number, 51 were not tested before leaving the facility and entering the community. 

However, 16 people out of the group of 55 who left managed isolation were allowed to leave to isolate with family who were dying.

Four were granted day visits to visit a dying family member and they returned to isolation each day. One person was granted leave because they were terminally ill.

People who visited family members who were dying had to wear PPE while visiting, were not allowed to leave their vehicles and were required to undergo a COVID-19 test at a community testing station.

Of the 55, 39 have now tested negative, seven won't be tested for medical reasons or because they are children and one was wrongly counted because their leave application was withdrawn. 

Of the remaining eight, four are awaiting test results and four still haven't been tested.