A man wearing a face mask attends the lantern festival part of the Chinese New Year celebrations on the waterfront in Wellington on February 14, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

WELLINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand confirmed the third case of COVID-19 on Thursday after an Auckland man in his 40s, whose family member was back from Iran recently, tested positive for the coronavirus.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said the country's third case was one of family transmission because the man himself had not travelled abroad.

The man is quarantined at home and his partner becomes ill, in self-isolation and is being tested, Bloomfield said.

The Health Ministry suggested passengers on flight Qatar Airways flight QR 0920 to call healthline for more information.

The patient's two children attend schools in Auckland, and show no symptoms, Bloomfield said. There was no danger to other students, according to the Ministry of Education.