There is one new community case of COVID-19 in New Zealand.

She is a 56-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID-19 after being released from managed isolation at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland.

The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins have provided an update on the case of COVID-19 in Northland.

During her stay in managed isolation, she returned two negative tests and was not symptomatic.

The woman travelled through Northland for two days after being released from managed isolation on January 13. Hipkins says she was scrupulous with using the COVID-19 tracer app.

She has four close contacts who are being spoken with, isolated and tested.

The Ministry of Health's website will be updated with the businesses and places she visited, as soon as business owners are notified, Dr Bloomfield says.

The woman travelled to New Zealand from Europe, arriving in Auckland on December 30.

Previously she had travelled in Spain and the Netherlands for about four months late last year with family members, some of whom later tested positive for COVID-19.

Dr Bloomfield says the result indicated it was a new case, but further tests were looking at whether it could be historical and if it was a variant.

"We are working on the assumption this is a positive case and that it is a more transmissible variant."

He says it was possible - but unlikely - to be a very long incubation period.

Investigations are underway to determine if she possibly contracted the virus while at the managed isolation facility.

The woman lives with one other person who has no reported symptoms.

Dr Bloomfield says the 56-year-old felt very mild symptoms on January 15, but did not associate them with COVID-19. As her symptoms worsened, she got tested at a community testing facility.

The woman is well enough to be at home and has not needed hospital care.

Hipkins says the origin of the infection is not yet known. Further tests have been carried out, but the results are not out yet.

More than 600 people who stayed in managed isolation at the Pullman Hotel this month have been asked to stay at home and get tested for COVID-19.

All staff working at the Pullman Hotel will also be re-tested.

Hipkins says the woman had been tracing her movements and scanning the QR code wherever she went. Dr Bloomfield says this has allowed authorities to rapidly identify what places she had been to.

"In this case we are also casting the net wide to ensure we contain any potential community transmission. This is precautionary but vital as part of our response."

Dr Bloomfield says anyone who is symptomatic, either in Northland or around the country, should get a test.

"Do the things we all know need to be done to keep New Zealanders safe - wash your hands, scan in religiously and stay home if you're unwell and get a test and isolate until you receive a negative result."

-Additional reporting RNZ

Earlier: The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins will provide an update on the probable case of COVID-19 in Northland.

They will be live from the Beehive at 4pm.

Earlier today the Ministry of Health confirmed it is investigating a positive test result in a person who has departed from a MIQ facility.

A government spokesman has confirmed the case is being treated as a probable case.

There are eight new cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation to report in New Zealand since the last MOH update on Friday.

One previously reported case has now recovered and the total number of active cases in New Zealand is 79.