New Zealand said on Tuesday that it has two new cases of the coronavirus, who both traveled to the UK, ending a 24-day streak of zero infection in the country.

Both of the new COVID-19 patients are women, who are from the same family. They had traveled from the UK with special permission to attend the funeral of a parent. 

New Zealand, as one of the first countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality, have lifted all social and economic restrictions except border controls last week.

Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand's director-general of health, added that there was an "agreed plan in place as part of the approval process [including] the travel arrangements."

However, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned that new cases may come up in the future as New Zealanders return home, and some others were allowed in under special conditions. 

The women, one in their 30s and one in their 40s, arrived in New Zealand from the UK on June 7, via Doha and Brisbane, and entered quarantine. They were later granted permission to travel to Wellington on June 13 to visit their parent, who died a day ago.

One of the women had "mild symptoms" as a pre-existing condition. They traveled to Wellington in a private vehicle, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield said on Tuesday.

They stayed with a single family member in Wellington, and has now also been placed in self-isolation.

The women were tested on Monday and the results were confirmed on Tuesday.

The citizenship of the patients are unclear at this point. Further details were expected in a news conference later on Tuesday.

New Zealand has so far had 22 deaths from the virus.

(Cover photo: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses a press conference after the 2020 budget at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, May 14, 2020. /AP)

(With input from agencies)