NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Live: Coronavirus - Air NZ plane chartered to assist in getting Kiwis out of Wuhan

By Georgina Campbell & Jason Walls
NZ Herald·
30 Jan, 2020 01:55 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Focus Live: Health Minister David Clark gives coronavirus update

The Government is chartering an Air New Zealand flight to get Kiwis in Hubei province in China – home to the city of Wuhan – back home to New Zealand.

But there is still a major hurdle to get over, as flying Kiwis back home is subject to approval from the Chinese Government.

Other countries, such as the UK and Australia, have had issues getting their citizens out of China, as approval has not yet been granted by the Chinese Government.

New Zealanders in the region, who have registered on SafeTravel, have been contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register their interest for the flight.

But before anyone gets on the flight, they will be screened by health officials.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The death toll from the Coronavirus has risen to 170 people with 7700 cases confirmed – the vast majority of which are in China.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said this afternoon that the aircraft will have capacity for around 300 passengers and will fly from Wuhan to New Zealand.

Although there is no timeframe for the evacuation mission yet, Peters said the Government is looking for the plane to be wheels up "as soon as possible".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Peters said New Zealand will be offering any additional seats to Pacific Island and Australian citizens as a matter of priority.

Those who do take a seat on the plane will be required to pay a fee, but Peters said the Government will absorb most of the cost of the charter flight.

"We encourage all New Zealanders in the Hubei region to register on Safetravel and ensure all their details are accurate and up to date. This will give us a better understanding of the level of demand for this flight."

In a statement, Air NZ said it was happy to support the New Zealand Government with the repatriation of New Zealanders from Wuhan in China's Hubei province.

"Air NZ continues to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the operational requirements of chartering this flight."

Peters said officials will be working through operational requirements with Air New Zealand and Chinese authorities.

Consular teams, Peters said, will be working with health officials to ensure that the risks of transmission of the Coronavirus to New Zealand are carefully managed throughout the evacuation process.

"The New Zealand Government would like to thank Air New Zealand for its support in assisting to bring New Zealanders home," Peters said.

On Monday, Mfat said the Government was considering using Defence Force or a chartered flight to get Kiwis out of Wuhan.

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned that this would be no easy feat, as there are still a number of logistical issues the Government needs to address before an evacuation is attempted.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Speaking to media this afternoon, she said New Zealanders would not be quarantined on Christmas Island like Australians in Wuhan.

"We have the ability to provide our own quarantine and isolation within New Zealand, so that's just not considered something that's appropriate for us to utilise for New Zealand citizens or residents.

"New Zealand can take care of our public health issues and we see it as appropriate to do so."

Health Minister: 'we have not yet had a case of coronavirus'

Health Minister David Clark says "we have not yet had a case of coronavirus" in New Zealand.

Clark is holding a press conference regarding the latest on the country's efforts to keep coronavirus out.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Speaking to media in Penrose, Auckland, Clark said they have not yet had anyone "meet the definiton of a suspected case".

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said the number of cases was increasing, with the deaths all in China.

There has not yet been a case in New Zealand, nor anyone who fit the definition of a suspected case.

People who had been in Wuhan in last 14 days should self-isolate.

This meant they should not go to places where they would be in contact with other people.

"The important thing is all of us take standard hygiene precautions."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There was specific advice on the MoH website, being updated daily.

Bloomfield said there was a very small number of possible cases, they had been tested and were no longer in hospital.

Clark said all avenues were being looked into for appropriate housing for New Zealanders coming back from Wuhan.

Bloomfield said this was what New Zealand's pandemic plan looked at.

Options ranged from asking people to isolate at home, to a hotel.

"We are looking at all the options, that would be a decision for the Government."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Anyone symptomatic, whether here, or in China coming here, anyone unwell would be investigated.

The big difference to other viruses, is this is a "novel virus".

"The issue here is we have a novel virus, and as with Sars, we don't know the impact it could have."

Bloomfield said he thought our border controls were appropriate, 5000 people had been met at the border from China in the past few days and nobody had displayed any symptoms.

All flights from China are being met by public health staff.

The World Health Organisation has been very positive and complimentary about the openness of the Chinese government.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They were able to type and share the virus very early, on January 7, allowing for testing to take place.

"Chinese efforts ... have been of enormous help in getting on to managing this virus globally."

Should the evacuations go ahead, there will be pre-flight screening in China, and they were in the process of developing advice for any evacuation crew.

The contagiousness assessment was "relatively low", compared to measles.

This is not the sort of virus you get from passing someone in the street, rather from long exposure.

Countries around the world are on high alert for cases of the new virus, which is believed to have originated in a meat market in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There have been more than 7000 confirmed cases of the virus in China and at least 170 people have died of the virus, according to the World Health Organisation.

The disease has also reached as far as Canada, Germany and Australia, with 68 confirmed cases outside China as of yesterday.

So far New Zealand has no confirmed or suspected cases of the respiratory virus, but health authorities have said it's only a matter of time before it arrives on our shores.

However, they have said while cases are likely, the probability of an outbreak is low.

READ MORE
• Coronavirus: Auckland University prepares for outbreak, restricts travel to China
• Coronavirus: Student from China's Hubei Province in isolation at Auckland Hospital
• Coronavirus explained: How it differs from a regular flu
• Coronavirus: New Zealand and Australia to evacuate citizens

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Politics

Te Pāti Māori selects former broadcaster for Tāmaki Makaurau byelection

10 Jul 08:58 AM
New Zealand

Man sentenced for taking boy to secluded spot and photographing him without togs on

10 Jul 08:00 AM
New Zealand

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 07:04 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Te Pāti Māori selects former broadcaster for Tāmaki Makaurau byelection

Te Pāti Māori selects former broadcaster for Tāmaki Makaurau byelection

10 Jul 08:58 AM

Move comes after MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp died last month.

Man sentenced for taking boy to secluded spot and photographing him without togs on

Man sentenced for taking boy to secluded spot and photographing him without togs on

10 Jul 08:00 AM
State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 07:04 AM
‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

10 Jul 07:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP