Coronavirus: Supermarkets call for calm as panic-buyers take alarm at NZ case

Officials are scrambling to track down those who were in contact with the Kiwi who has been confirmed as our first coronavirus patient, as supermarkets urge shoppers to remain calm.

A New Zealand citizen in their 60s who flew into the country from Iran, via Bali, last Wednesday is in hospital with a confirmed case of the respiratory virus, the Ministry of Health said.

It comes as Australia and the United States record their first fatalities from coronavirus.

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the patient was in a stable condition and continued to show signs of improvement. "The prognosis is looking good."

The person was in isolation at Auckland City Hospital and their family was in self-isolation, with none of them yet reporting symptoms, she said.

But officials are still trying to track down passengers who were sitting near the patient on Emirates Flight EK450 from Tehran, via Bali.

These 18 passengers have all been contacted by the Government although some have not been directly spoken to.

Ardern said officials now needed to physically track down the passengers to ensure they understood their quarantine options.

A Foodstuffs spokesperson said it was working hard to make sure essential items were available at the major supermarkets it owns - Pak'nSave, New World and Four Square.

"We have been prioritising deliveries over the weekend to stores which have seen increased customer demand," they said.

"We're working with suppliers to secure more stock as soon as possible, but volumes are limited due to international demand.

"We would ask customers to resist the urge to stock up as this simply puts unnecessary pressure on stores," they said.

Countdown's Kiri Hannifin told the Herald it was working to keep stock flowing into stores as best it could.

"We would urge customers not to stockpile," she said.

"There's no need to panic and we have systems in place and are working with our suppliers to manage demand so that we can provide the essentials that Kiwis want."

The Prime Minister also weighed in on the issue, telling people to continue with everyday life.

"If you need a bottle of milk, go and get it. If you don't, do not react in any other way than you would any other day," she said.

"The public should be going about their daily lives."

As the outbreak worsens, the Government said it wasn't yet imposing wider restrictions on travellers arriving in New Zealand, but was receiving advice from health officials on the matter.

Restrictions are so far in place on travellers from China and Iran - while the Samoan Government has required medical certificates and Air New Zealand has restricted flights to the Pacific Island country from today.

Ardern stressed that said New Zealand had an "incredibly robust" pandemic plan.

"We already had a plan in place… to deal with any further outbreak."

A masked passenger in response to the coronavirus outbreak at the arrival gates at Auckland International Airport. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Officials have been planning for a pandemic – that plan is "already in place".

Their response to date had been "textbook", she said.

Air New Zealand has slashed its number of flights to Samoa after the island insisted all passengers carry a medical certificate confirming they were safe to travel.

The airline has cancelled one flight and halved its service from six to three flights after being ordered to do so by the Samoan Government.

All passengers entering the country must carry a medical certificate with them stating they are well and able to travel.

"Customers must hold medical certificates dated within three days of booked travel," an Air New Zealand spokesperson said.

"This will be required for check-in before a boarding pass is issued,"

Back on the ground, major supermarkets are working to restock sold-out items as panicked shoppers stock up on essentials.

Queues at some supermarkets have been out the door, with shoppers lining up before the doors even opened in search of necessities like toilet paper and water.