There are several new Covid-19 cases since Wednesday's 1pm press conference, Chris Hipkins told Checkpoint.
“We're seeing more cases coming through, I don't have details of those cases. But yes, I can confirm that we have further positive test results since the press conference today.”
He says he is almost certain the first case, the 58-year-old man, will have caught Covid-19 in the community from someone else.
Hipkins has told Checkpoint people should expect health officials will identify more cases overnight.
The government is not ruling out an MIQ leak or an Australian returnee jumping state borders before flying home as the index case of the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
Hipkins told Checkpoint a number of people who have returned from New South Wales have tested positive for Covid-19 in managed isolation facilities.
He said it is also possible the latest outbreak could be traced back to an Australian returnee jumping state borders before coming home.
He also acknowledged the outbreak is a result of a border breach.
He said it is disappointing as the government has put systems in place to prevent this from happening.
