The woman has been in self-isolation in her home, the Ministry of Health said, and the process has begun to contact people on the flight she took from Singapore to Auckland.

She had been in northern Italy, where the coronavirus has spread rapily, with 79 deaths confirmed so far, and more than 2000 confirmed cases.

At this stage, the woman does not require hospital level care, and the World Health Organisation has pointed out that self-isolation at home is an appropriate response for those who display mild to moderate symptoms.

The woman's partner is also displaying signs of the virus and is being tested.

The infected woman has children who attend Westlake Boys and Westlake Girls High in Auckland, and both of the schools have been contacted and are on alert.

The children who attend those two schools are not showing symptoms, however, and are now at home and in isolation. They did not travel to Italy, are both well and are being monitored.

The Ministries of Education and Health will work together to provide the schools with appropriate advice and support.

Even though New Zealand has a second case of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health is confident that with "continued vigilance" the chance of widespread community outbreak is "expected to remain low".

The first case was confirmed on Friday last week. That individual was a New Zealand citizen who had returned to the country from Iran, via Bali. They are currently in a stable condition, according to officials.

Watch the Ministry of Health's announcement below