An 18th person has died following the Whakaari/White Island eruption.

Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin

Police say the person died in a hospital in Australia last night.

They are the second person to die in Australia, after 13 patients were transported there from New Zealand about a month ago.

There are currently 13 patients being cared for at hospitals around New Zealand, at Middlemore, Hutt Valley, Waikato, and Christchurch hospitals.

Four of them remain in a critical condition.