Isolation

Ardern and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro were on flight NZ8273 from Kerikeri to Auckland on 22 January. Someone who tested positive for Covid-19 was on the flight which added to the Ministry of Health's website as a location of interest last night.

The result of whole genome sequencing for the case is expected today, but it is likely to be Omicron, a media statement from the prime minister's office said last night.

Ardern and Dame Cindy were in Northland undertaking advance filming at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for the Waitangi Day broadcast.

All the South Africa players are self isolating after close contact with De Jager and will remain cloistered in their hotel rooms until a new round of tests are conducted, SA Rugby said.

The second such incident in a week in the Springbok camp could force a cancellation of the second test, scheduled for Johannesburg's Ellis Park on Friday.

Guardian journalist Elle Hunt says people have strung up lights and decorations, and a wreath competition run by the facility is seeing inventive recycling of meal bags.

With the unpleasantness of her day-three Covid-19 test over Hunt was looking forward to Christmas lunch - of which there were an impressive number of options.

"After much consideration I went for the eye fillet carvery and then spent the next couple of days thinking about whether I had made the wrong choice.

"There [was] also turkey, there was a fish option."

The latest situation report released today (Friday) has also confirmed that there are no COVID-19 cases in the country.

Eight samples have been sent to Noumea, New Caledonia for testing today.

One sample is from the suspected case and the other seven samples are from individuals who displayed some symptoms but are not considered to be suspected cases because they did not fill the World Health Organisation case definition for COVID-19.

The seven samples are being tested as a precautionary measure only.