Remaining fishermen to be released from Christchurch managed isolation soon

Sailors prepare the Te Raukura for departure in Dunedin yesterday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Four remaining fishermen in isolation in Christchurch will be released over the coming days.

Two-hundred and 35 Russian and Ukrainian fishermen had been in MIQ at the Sudima Christchurch Airport hotel - with 31 becoming infected with Covid-19.

With a majority having now left, the Ministry of Health has confirmed one will be released today.

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This will be followed by a further two tomorrow, with the final on Wednesday.

This will complete the required quarantine of the original group of foreign mariners.

A second flight of fishermen was expected with an arrival date not yet known.

The Ministry of Health had said the sailors would not leave quarantine until it was satisfied they posed no health risk to anyone.

On Saturday, it confirmed most of the sailors had been released to their vessels.

Seven mariners initially remained behind, and three of those were now considered to have recovered and had been cleared for release.

The first intake of the crew members was due to leave managed isolation facility last Tuesday after dozens of them who tested positive completed their stand-down.

All contacts of the two health workers who also contracted the virus from the fishermen have been followed up and tested and all results returned to date are negative.