There have been 18 new cases of Covid-19 reported in managed isolation in New Zealand since Wednesday.
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In a statement released this afternoon, the Ministry of Health said the total number of active cases in New Zealand is 76 and the total number of confirmed cases is 1890.
Two of these cases are classified as historical and deemed not infectious.
The new cases came from the UK, South Africa, the United States, Bahrain, Russia, Italy, India and Malaysia.
Two cases which came from Russia are part of the group of international mariners. there have now been 19 positive cases identified in this group - nine are deemed historical and 10 are active cases.
Four of the new cases, who came from Malaysia via Singapore, are part of the same family bubble.
At the last briefing on Wednesday, seven new cases, all in managed isolation, were detailed.
Three of the cases were part of the group of international mariners who arrived from Russia via Singapore.
The next release of Covid-19 numbers in this country will be on Sunday.
The ministry also said travellers from the United States and United Kingdom will be required to produce a negative test result for Covid-19 upon landing in New Zealand from midnight tonight. Travellers will be required to provide evidence of their pre-departure test result as they go through Customs.
"Pre-departure testing will soon be expanded to include all countries excluding Australia, Antarctica and some Pacific Island nations. These additional requirements have been put in place to further strengthen our border, to protect New Zealand from Covid-19 and new emerging variants."
Yesterday the government also announced that it would allow 1000 foreign students to enter the country from April as part of the pandemic recovery plan for international education.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the students must be part-way through a degree or postgraduate course and would have to pay for the cost of their time in managed isolation.
Hipkins said the government's top priority was the health, safety and wellbeing of all people in New Zealand and it had a responsibility to carefully balance its decisions, to support the country's economic recovery.
See RNZ's full coverage of Covid-19
- If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- How to wear a mask
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- A timeline: How the coronavirus started, spread and stalled life in New Zealand
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
