Wellington, April 8 (IANS): New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern assured the nation's children that the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are indeed essential workers but it might be "difficult" for them to get to every home in the current situation.

"You'll be pleased to know that we do consider both the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny to be essential workers. But as you can imagine, at this time they're going to be potentially quite busy at home with their family as well and their own bunnies.

"I say to the children of New Zealand, if the Easter Bunny doesn't make it to your household, we have to understand that it's a bit difficult at the moment for the bunny to perhaps get everywhere," she said, in an address.

Ardern, who gave birth to a daughter in June 2018, also suggested that households help create Easter egg hunts for children by placing images of eggs in their windows.

She said New Zealand will not be coming out of lockdown early, which was imposed late last month, despite promising signs that the current measures were working as Monday saw just 67 new coronavirus cases reported.

New Zealand currently has 1,106 cases and one death, while 176 people have recovered, as per latest data.