Minister for Regional Economic Development and leading suspect in the case of a missing truckload of bourbon, Shane Jones, has been asked to put himself in isolation after a recent trip to Newshub studios.

Jones made a trip to the studios, located on Flower Street in Auckland, on February 29th, and returned the same day, after which concerns were raised over what he may be spreading.

Today, Jones was asked by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to self-isolate for the safety of his colleagues, for a recommended period of around 201 days.

Other ministers traveling to and from television appearances were to be monitored on a case-by-case basis.

At today’s post-Cabinet press conference, the Prime Minister would not elaborate on what Jones was suspected of having, but said it could be spread “in a number of ways,” including merely by audio transmission.

“As such, I have asked the Minister to refrain not only from meeting with anyone, but speaking to anyone,” she said.

Ardern said she had called Jones personally to convey the message, and had also asked him to please stop kicking the back of her headrest every time they were on road trips together.

She could not be certain Jones was taking the advice to self-isolate, but had called every pub within a 100km radius of Kerikeri, and he had not been spotted for “over an hour.”

Ardern said there was “no point” in removing Jones from Cabinet, as a number of other members were already infected anyway.