Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield thanks Kiwis in his final message to the nation

New Zealand's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has officially stepped away from his top public servant job.

As Friday marked his final day in the office, Bloomfield issued one last warning to "not let up now" as he thanked Kiwis for their efforts against Covid-19.

Speaking in a video shared to social media, he said: "Kia ora New Zealand. As I finish up in the role of Director-General I wanted to take a moment to thank you so much for all the hard work you've put in over the past two-and-a-half years as part of New Zealand's response to the pandemic.

"We've been successful because we did it as a team. But don't let up now. Keep up the great work. We're not, as I say, out of the woods yet but we can always see a path through the woods."

He continued: "We've forged our own path - let's keep doing it. Keep up the great work. Look after each other."

Last week, the country's top doctor gave his 307th Covid update since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Bloomfield remains quiet on his next steps, revealing only he is looking forward to a "good break planned on the home front."