New Zealand has its first death linked to coronavirus. The death was a woman in her 70s in Greymouth Hospital early this morning. She tested positive for the virus on Friday morning.
Residents in a South Auckland apartment complex fear "high risk" international travellers are being quarantined in their building but no one has bothered alerting occupants to the danger.
Several residents in the Ramada apartment and hotel complex in Manukau say police, Civil Aviation and public health officials have been visibleat the building in recent days.
A nursing station has been set up in the hotel foyer to test those undergoing quarantine. Staff in protective masks, gowns and gloves have been spotted preparing meals for delivery to the new arrivals' rooms.
The seven-storey building's first three floors house the Ramada Suites hotel while the upper four floors are privately owned apartments, whose occupants are currently self-isolating during the nationwide lockdown.
A 67-year-old apartment owner told the Herald residents had been left completely in the dark about the quarantine arrangements and he feared for his safety.
Staff in protective masks, gowns and gloves photographed this morning at the Ramada hotel and apartments. Photo / Supplied
"This is very risky for us. We are in danger."
The new arrivals were using shared areas like the lobby and elevators, meaning anyone who was infected could potentially spread the virus, the man said.
A bottle of hand sanitiser has appeared in foyer with a note saying: "High contact area. Please use sanitiser when entering & exiting."
The man asked one of the police officers at the building: "What's going on? Are those sick people being brought into this building?
"They said, 'Oh no, they aren't sick. Just travellers'."
A nursing station has been set up to test those under quarantine in the hotel foyer: Photo / Supplied
The man, who has high blood pressure and respiratory problems, said he was at high risk from the Covid-19 virus, which yesterday claimed the first New Zealand life.
He and other apartment dwellers were obeying the rules and self-isolating in their apartments. The man was angry that occupants were apparently now being put at risk by incoming international travellers and that no one had bothered to alert them.
"The body corporate are responsible to take care of us but they have not even informed us."
Uniformed staff in the foyer at Ramada hotel and apartments in Manukau, South Auckland. Photo / Supplied
He felt he and other residents should have been given advanced warning and protective masks "to prevent us getting the deadly virus".
"We have obeyed the rules which say lockdown, but at the same time they have brought the danger close to us. So who gave them that right?"
Another resident supplied photos to the Herald this morning showing uniformed staff wearing face masks in the building's lobby, and others wearing full gowns, masks and protective gloves.
A traveller chats to staff at the Ramada hotel and apartments foyer this morning. Photo / Supplied
"There were two ladies from Civil Aviation Authority and two nurses there. To my shock two of the travellers came in after going to the supermarket. The nurse asked them how they were today, and they said, 'We are fine'.
"I asked the Civil Aviation ladies why they let these high risk travellers out and they said they have the right to go to the supermarket like everyone else."
