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AAP
AAP
Health
Ben McKay

Ardern, NZ GG test negative for COVID-19

Cindy Kiro (left) and Jacinda Ardern have tested negative to COVID-19 after being close contacts. (AAP)

Jacinda Ardern has tested negative for COVID-19 and can resume regular duties as New Zealand prime minister from Wednesday when her self-isolation period ends.

On Saturday night, Ms Ardern learned she was a close contact of a positive case from a flight taken on January 22, along with Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and senior staff.

Dame Cindy has also recorded a negative test and is awaiting results from a second test.

The pair were travelling to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds to record interviews to be broadcast on New Zealand's national day, Waitangi Day, on February 6.

After learning of the scare, Ms Ardern immediately entered self-isolation and was tested early on Sunday morning, receiving a negative result on Monday.

Ms Ardern's isolation is due to end at 11:59pm on Tuesday, meaning she will chair Tuesday's cabinet meeting remotely.

Her deputy Grant Robertson will take the regular post-cabinet press conference in Wellington on her behalf.

New Zealand has tightened its isolation guidelines in recent weeks as it contends with its first outbreak of the transmissible variant Omicron, which has leaked into the community.

The latest daily community case count, recorded on Sunday, was 103 - the first in triple digits since December 13 after six weeks of double-digit cases.

Public health experts have warned Kiwis to expect cases to soon surge into the thousands, well beyond previous case figures.

New Zealand has recorded 52 deaths from COVID-19.

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