New Zealand is prepared for the XE variant of Omicron, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson believes.
The country's first case of the Covid-19 variant was announced on Saturday.
The person arrived in New Zealand on April 19 and was tested the following day.
Whole genome sequencing subsequently confirmed the variant.
The person is isolating at home.
XE is believed to be 10% more transmissible than the BA.2 Omicron subvariant currently sweeping New Zealand.
It is a "recombination" of Omicron's BA.1 and BA.2 variants, meaning the two have merged.
"What we've put in place for other variants will still work when it comes to this new variant," Robertson told Breakfast on Tuesday.
He said the arrival of the variant on the country's shores makes it even more important for people to get boosted against Covid-19.
"Our booster rates have plateaued at about 73% across the population. Among younger groups it's very low, among the 70+ we're up in the 80/90%. Among the younger populations that booster rate just hasn't got where we need it," Robertson said.
"We need to keep doing the right things - keep isolating if you get Covid, wear your mask in appropriate situations. But we are prepared for this. We've done well up to now, but we've got to keep getting people boosted."
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