New Zealand has no active Covid-19 cases after the country's final patient was given the all clear and released from isolation, health authorities said Monday.

The milestone was "really good news" and an achievement the whole of New Zealand could take heart from, health department director-general Ashley Bloomfield said.

New Zealand has won praise for its handling of the pandemic, which involved a strict seven-week lockdown that ended last month after the virus was contained.

There have been no new infections for 17 days and, until Monday, just one active case for more than a week.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce later Monday that New Zealand will this week move to alert Level 1, the lowest rating on its four-tier virus response system.