After being exposed to COVID-19, New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern self-isolated

Key takeaways:

• New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared late Saturday that she was self-isolating after coming into close contact with another person infected with the coronavirus.
• The genome sequencing would be completed on Sunday, according to officials, and the infected person might have the omicron variant.

After coming into nearest contact with another individual infected with the coronavirus, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced late Saturday that she was self-isolating.

The incident occurred on a flight from Kerikeri to Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. Cindy Kiro, the Governor-General of New Zealand, was also on the flight on January 22 and has been placed in isolation.

Both women had been filming in the Northland region in preparation for Waitangi Day, New Zealand's national day, on February 6.

In a statement, her office said, "The Prime Minister is asymptomatic and feeling well." "She will be tested immediately tomorrow and isolated until Tuesday, in accordance with Ministry of Health advice."

Late Saturday, health officials listed a dozen flights as exposure events, implying that one or more flight crew members were infected.

Officials said the genome sequencing would be finished on Sunday and that the infected person would have the omicron variant.

For the majority of the pandemic, New Zealand was able to eradicate or contain the virus, with only 52 virus deaths reported among its 5 million people. However, an outbreak of the omicron variant is gaining traction and is expected to spread rapidly in the coming weeks.

According to Our World in Data, about 77 percent of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated. According to New Zealand officials, this figure rises to 93 percent among those aged 12 and up.