Christopher Luxon says he was "a bit out of sorts" after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.
The National Party leader spent most of last week in isolation at his apartment in Wellington after testing positive for the virus. It meant he missed Parliament, with his deputy Nicola Willis stepping in for him at press conferences and at Question Time.
Tuesday is his first day out of isolation and he's spending it in Canterbury visiting Prebbleton School and meeting with farmers at Banks Peninsula.
Speaking to media, Luxon said he was "really excited" to be out.
"It's the first time I have been out of isolation for seven days at my apartment. I have been champing at the bit ready to come today."
He said being out with COVID was "frustrating".
"The first time I got COVID I didn't even know I had it. This time I was a bit out of sorts for two days then I was fine the last few days. It was frustrating but it is good to be out and about and able to come and do a visit like this today."
Willis last week said Luxon started going "downhill pretty fast" following a press conference and began feeling foggy-headed. He then took a rapid antigen test, which returned a positive result.
She added she doesn't believe he was showing symptoms before that press conference.
It's the second time Luxon has tested positive for COVID-19, with a previous infection in 2022.
Other politicians who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 include current Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Attorney-General David Parker.
The Ministry of Health on Monday said there were 11,171 new cases of COVID-19 reported over the past week, with 26 further COVID-attributed deaths.
