The Ministry of Health has announced a fifth person in New Zealand to have contracted the coronavirus.

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Dr Ashley Bloomfield says the patient is a New Zealand citizen in her 40s, who is the partner of the third person pronounced with the virus earlier this week.

The Auckland couple have family members who arrived home from Iran on February 23.

On Thursday March 5, The Ministry of Health confirmed an Auckland man in his 40's had been infected after being in contact with family who had recently travelled from Iran before travel restrictions were put in place.

“All five cases are following this pattern identified by the World Health Organisation - that most human-to-human transmission is happening inside families,” he said.

Dr Bloomfield said that close contacts of the fifth diagnosed person are already in isolation and that casual contact tracing is underway.

“The woman is already is self-isolation at home and has been since earlier in the week.”

Dr Bloomfield said the woman does not need hospital care, nor did anyone else in the family home.

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On Thursday March 5, the third case of coronavirus was announced as being the first person-to-person transmission.

The Ministry of Health was notified yesterday of eight New Zealanders who travelled on a previous cruise, the Grand Princess, currently in quarantine off California.

Today, the Ministry said that of the eight people on that cruise, five are well and have passed the 14-day period of concern.

Of the remaining three passengers, one woman in her 70s has been in hospital for a respiratory illness - she recovered and was discharged early in March, but is now in hospital for an unrelated-condition. The woman has now been tested and although negative, is considered a probable case.

Dr Bloomfield says the Ministry takes the same precautionary actions for a probable case as for a positive case.

"This means a number of North Shore hospital staff involved in her treatment who are well, but regarded as close contacts, are in the process of being stood down as a precaution for the balance of the 14 days since they were in contact."

Waitemata DHB say 43 staff are being isolated following contact to the probable case but that it has "no impact on clinical care and we continue to provide services as usual”.

Dr Bloomfield says another two former passengers who have mild symptoms have been tested and are in self isolation.

"The test result of one is negative, however she remains in self isolation as a close contact of the probable case. The other test result is pending.

"The woman currently in hospital returned home on Air NZ flight NZ007 from San Francisco arriving in New Zealand on 25 February. It has been 11 days since the flight arrived, close contacts are now being identified and contacted," Dr Bloomfield says.