If you wake up with a slight sniffle in your nose, the Ministry of Health wants you to stay home.

Speaking at a coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, Ministry of Health director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said it was important people stayed away from work and being out in public if they are sick.

"All of us have a role to play in stopping further spread, and I need to emphasise how critical this is to New Zealand's overall Covid-19 response."

He said although it was common to soldier on, it was now the time to introduce strict measures.

123rf.com If you wake up with a slight sniffle in your nose, the Ministry of Health wants you to stay home.

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"All of us are probably guilty at times. If we've got a bit of a runny nose or a bit of a sore throat we might go to work because it's not too bad, or we might, if our child's slightly unwell, send them to school.

"This is the time when we've got to be much much more strict with ourselves and our families."

New Zealand had entered a new phase of the coronavirus outbreak, with health officials focusing on slowing the spread of the virus rather than eradicating it.

Bloomfield said government would consider a range of measure to slow the virus' spread.

"Mass gathering and school closings could be employed now to maintain it [the spread] and slow it down," he said

Bloomfield said everyone needed to take steps to slow the spread of the virus.

BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF Government ministers toured the NZ King Salmon plant in Nelson to hear first-hand the export impacts of the coronavirus outbreak.

"All of use are probably guilty, at times, if we've got a bit of a runny nose, we go to work ... This is a time when we have to be much, much more strict with ourselves."

For a fourth consecutive day, there were been no additional cases of the virus confirmed, and one of the confirmed cases was discharged from Auckland Hospital on Tuesday.

New Zealand has so far had five confirmed cases and two probable cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

A probable case from the Grand Princess cruise that was being treated at North Shore Hospital was also now home, Bloomfield said.

"Of the other confirmed cases, none is requiring hospital care at this point," he said. All close contacts have been contacted, and were being checked on daily.

A prospective case in Northland returned a negative test result, Bloomfield said. A person at the Tool rock concert at Auckland's Spark Arena has also been tested for coronavirus, with results expected back on Wednesday.

"We will wait and see if the symptoms they have are from Covid-19," Bloomfield said.

On Wednesday there were 28 tests being done around the country for coronavirus, he said.

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF The Ministry of Health's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield delivering an update to the media on the response to Covid-19 coronavirus

Healthline has registered 8963 people or households for self-isolation since the process began, the ministry said. There were currently 2334 registrations for self-isolation, while 5929 have completed isolation.

There are now more than 113,000 cases of the virus globally and 4105 deaths.

Other countries with widespread outbreaks have shown they are able to contain the virus, Bloomfield said.

RICKY WILSON/STUFF People wearing protective masks in Auckland CBD.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

"In terms of what we can do in New Zealand ... not putting yourself or others at risk when you are unwell," Bloomfield said

This was particularly important for large gatherings, such as the upcoming March 15 service and the Pasifika Festival.

"Please stay home if you're unwell, and watch them on TV or enjoy doing something else."

Good cough and sneeze etiquette are imperative at this time, he said.

Bloomfield said he wanted to thank everyone who had gone into self-isolation. It was one of the most powerful tools available to tackle the illness, he said, also noting the two most useful items to combat it were hand sanitiser and soap.

The first of the hospital staff who were asked to self-isolate after caring for the cruise passenger who was a probable case, were beginning to return to work, Bloomfield said.