Cabinet will decide today whether to extend the temporary travel restrictions put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus, which are due to expire tonight.
Currently, any foreign travellers who left or travelled through mainland China after 2 February are banned from entry to New Zealand. There are exemptions for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents who are returning, but they are required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arriving home.
The decision comes as Covid-19 continues to spread across the world.
Italian officials have cut short the Venice Carnival as they try to control what is now the worst outbreak of the coronavirus in Europe.
Authorities in the Veneto region said the event would end later on Sunday, two days earlier than scheduled.
South Korea and Iran are also battling to control rising numbers of infections.
South Korea has raised its coronavirus alert to the "highest level".
On Sunday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the country faced "a grave turning point", and the next few days would be crucial in the battle to contain the outbreak.
Iran has confirmed 15 new cases of the virus, bringing the country's total to 43 with a death toll of eight.
Most of the infections have been in the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Qom.
Reports are coming in that Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Armenia have closed their borders with Iran as a precautionary measure to halt the potential spread of virus.
Professor Michael Baker is an epidemiologist at Otago University.
