Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the level 4 lockdown will be extended. [Source: RNZ]

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the level 4 lockdown will be extended five days to 11.59pm on Monday 27 April.

The country went into the alert level 4 lockdown at 11.59pm on Wednesday, 25 March.

It was initially planned to last at least four weeks, ending this Wednesday night, with the possibility of being extended if that was considered necessary.

The decision follows a Cabinet meeting today from 10.30am via video link to debate whether the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus merited a further extension or not.

Businesses will now be able to get ready to exit to alert level four next week.

She said the construction, manufacturing and forestry industries would be able to return to work in level 3.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said businesses could enter their premises to stock, but people must stay within their bubble.

Schools and early learning centres couldd be accessed for cleaning, maintenance and any other operations.

Schools would also have a teacher only day on 28 April to prepare.

She was clear the alert level would remain until next Monday, and businesses should not take it as a signal to start up again immediately.

The worst thing would be for the country to yoyo between levels, Ardern said.

She said level 3 was “socially … not that different from level 4”, the difference was economically it was going to be very different.