Friday, 19 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
New Zealand

Coronavirus: Auckland University prepares for outbreak, restricts travel to China

29 Jan, 2020 07:11 PM4 minutes to read
Focus: John Chen, an Auckland director of student accommodation, is worried by the lax testing for the Coronavirus in New Zealand.

Focus: John Chen, an Auckland director of student accommodation, is worried by the lax testing for the Coronavirus in New Zealand.

Vaimoana Tapaleao
By
Vaimoana Tapaleao

Pasifika Editor

VIEW PROFILE

New Zealand's top university is preparing for the worst in light of the coronavirus situation - implementing strategic plans and restricting all non-essential travel to China.

The University of Auckland is also making the most of the expertise of vaccinologists and infectious disease specialists as well as others on staff in the science faculty.

It comes as an Auckland student - studying at an institution that has not been named -has been placed in isolation at Auckland Hospital.

ARE YOU AFFECTED? EMAIL US

In an email to students this week, the university said that although there have been no confirmed cases here to date, the institution was taking a "precautionary approach".

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
The University of Auckland has implemented strategic plans in light of the coronavirus situation; including restricting all non-essential university travel to China. Image / Google
The University of Auckland has implemented strategic plans in light of the coronavirus situation; including restricting all non-essential university travel to China. Image / Google

"The university's Strategic Response Team (SRT) met yesterday afternoon to assess the situation and agree the university's response," the email read.

"We have detailed infections disease incident plans that we can activate if required, as well as the expert knowledge of vaccinologists and infection disease specialists in our faculties."

Students were also informed that all non-essential university travel to China has been restricted.

Coronavirus outbreak: update No cases of coronavirus have been identified in New Zealand, however the University is...

Posted by The University of Auckland on Tuesday, 28 January 2020

"These restrictions may change to include other affected countries in the future."

A dedicated page has been posted on the university's website and is due to give students regular updates on the situation.

Students who have travelled to countries affected by the virus - or have been in close contact with anyone who has been or may be affected - are also being asked to fill out a "University of Auckland coronavirus form".

Related articles

New Zealand|Politics

Watch live: Health Minister gives coronavirus update

30 Jan 01:00 AM
New Zealand

The bomb threat that wasn't

30 Jan 01:26 AM
New Zealand|Politics

Coranavirus: Evacuation of Kiwis from Wuhan still days away - Winston Peters

30 Jan 05:38 PM

"We do not want you to be disadvantaged in your university studies if you have been affected by coronavirus," the top of the form reads.

Anyone filling that form out is asked a series of questions including whether or not an affected student is able to stay away from the university (and others) for at least two weeks and if they intended to live in student accommodation.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

MORE THAN 100 KIWIS IN WUHAN

Auckland University's precautionary efforts come as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed more than 100 New Zealanders had now registered themselves on SafeTravel as being in the city of Wuhan, where the virus is thought to have originated.

That is a marked jump from the 53 Kiwis said to be in the city as of yesterday.

The number of Australians on the ground was about 600 people as of yesterday - but it is thought that that figure has increased also.

Ardern said she and Australian PM Scott Morrison were working out details about how to get Kiwis and Australians out of the city - whether that be on chartered flights or defence force aircraft.

"We're in a similar boat to Australia and that's why we're working together," she said on the Mike Hosking Show this morning.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

READ MORE:
• Coronavirus: Everything you need to know
• Coronavirus: Student from China's Hubei Province in isolation at Auckland Hospital
• First cases of human-to-human transmission of coronavirus outside of China
• Second case of coronavirus in Victoria brings Aussie total to six

Ardern said the Government had a pandemic plan in place and confirmed that those Kiwis evacuated from the city would not be taken to Christmas Island but would be brought to New Zealand.

The location, however, has not been revealed; but they would be quarantined for some time.

She said part of the process was having to get permission from Chinese authorities to carry out the mass evacuations.

STUDENT ISOLATED AT AUCK CITY HOSPITAL

A Chinese student was said to be in isolation at Auckland City Hospital after returning from Hubei Province - the epicentre of the epidemic - with a cough.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

It is not known exactly which educational institution the student attends.

However, an accommodation provider told the Herald yesterday that they had sent the male student to hospital after he turned up feeling ill.

The accommodation provider confirmed that an Auckland District Health Board nurse had asked him yesterday, via email, whether he would be okay to accommodate the student until his test results were analysed.

But the provider declined the request because of the many other students living in his building.

"It may be two weeks [until] we get the tests back and they are asking if I will house him. I have hundreds of students in the building right now.

"I can lock them up in an apartment - but who is going to feed the kid? Who is going to make sure he's still alive?"

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand|Crime

Jealous lover: Woman torches partner's house, causes up to $165k in loss

19 Aug 05:21 AM
New Zealand|CrimeUpdated

Manurewa homicide: Children's remains in suitcases case reported around the world

19 Aug 04:55 AM
New ZealandUpdated

No cycle or walking lanes for Auckland Harbour Bridge

19 Aug 04:41 AM
New Zealand

Watch: Nelson home ripped apart by landslide

19 Aug 04:25 AM
New Zealand

Exclusive: NZ judge resigns from Dubai post after human rights furore

19 Aug 04:02 AM

Most Popular

No cycle or walking lanes for Auckland Harbour Bridge
New ZealandUpdated

No cycle or walking lanes for Auckland Harbour Bridge

19 Aug 04:41 AM
Man tried to hire hitman for $300 to kill a person who didn't get along with his wife
New Zealand|CrimeUpdated

Man tried to hire hitman for $300 to kill a person who didn't get along with his wife

19 Aug 03:13 AM
Parole denied: Mark Lundy to remain behind bars 22 years after killing his wife and daughter
New Zealand|CrimeUpdated

Parole denied: Mark Lundy to remain behind bars 22 years after killing his wife and daughter

19 Aug 03:00 AM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP