Coronavirus: Thai kiwifruit workers in self-isolation at Bay of Plenty holiday park

Forty workers from Thailand are being quarantined at a Bay of Plenty holiday park after arriving in New Zealand on Monday.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive officer Nikki Johnson said the
workers were following Ministry of Health requirements and self-isolated themselves.

Johnson said the workers were being supported by their employer during this time which included bringing them food.

None of the Thai workers had shown signs of sickness which meant they were not able to be tested.

Johnson said their health would continue to be monitored as per the ministry's guidelines.

The ministry provided guidlines around self-isolation and everyone who arrived in New Zealand at 1am on Monday from any country - except those a country listed as Category 2 - would need to self-isolate for 14 days.

She did not say which holiday park the workers were staying.

"While New Zealanders are our key workforce, there may not be enough workers to pick and pack the crop from now until the end of June," Johnson said.

"They will be complemented by other workers such as backpackers who have been in the country for some time or workers from the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme."

Kiwifruit is New Zealand's largest horticultural export and in 2018 the industry brought $1.45 billion into the Bay of Plenty economy.

Hospitality New Zealand accommodation sector Bay of Plenty chairman and 850 Cameron Motel owner Tony Bullot was not aware of the 40 Thai workers in the holiday park and has not been told about additional workers coming into the region.

He said it was up to individual accommodation outlets as to how they responded to people wanting to self-isolate at their establishment.

He said there was no official advice for accommodation outlets and it would be beneficial if there was something to assist in navigating the current and developing situation for the sector.

As for his own motel, Bullot said those who needed to self-isolate on entering the country were welcome and they had processes in place to keep them and everyone safe.

He said his motel had strong cleaning procedures and if they began showing symptoms, they had "more serious procedures to make sure nobody is getting anywhere near them".

Bay of Plenty members of the association are expected to have a meeting tonight to discuss the logistics - including marketing and health - of caring for guests who needed to self-isolate, keeping staff safe and managing the cancellations.