Ardern tests negative as Omicron takes hold in New Zealand

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has said she has tested negative for coronavirus after coming into close contact with an infected person on a commercial flight.

Ms Ardern had been isolating since late on Saturday after the January 22 exposure first came to light.

She intends to continuing isolating through until Tuesday to complete a 10-day health requirement. She has had no symptoms.

The exposure occurred on a flight from the town of Kerikeri to New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland.

Health officials listed a dozen flights as exposure events late on Saturday, possibly indicating infections among flight crews.

Ms Ardern and governor-general Cindy Kiro, who is also isolating while awaiting a second test, were in the Northland region to do some filming ahead of New Zealand’s national day, Waitangi Day, on February 6.

New Zealand has managed to stamp out or contain the virus for much of the pandemic, and has reported just 52 virus deaths among its population of five million.

But an outbreak of the Omicron variant is starting to take hold and is expected to rapidly grow over the coming weeks.

About 77% of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. That figure rises to 93% of those aged 12 and over, according to New Zealand officials.

Ms Ardern’s isolation comes as parliament is on summer break. She will chair a cabinet meeting remotely on Tuesday.