SYDNEY: A plane load of New Zealanders, Australians and Pacific Islanders evacuated from China’s Wuhan city arrived in New Zealand’s Auckland on Wednesday, where they will be quarantined to prevent the spread of a new flu-like coronavirus, officials said. The Air New Zealand Ltd flight with 190 evacuees, three consular staff and five New Zealand health officials landed about 6 p.m. local time (0500 GMT). The New Zealanders will be put in quarantine for two weeks. Also among the passengers were 35 Australians and Australian residents with Chinese passports who would be returned to Australia, the authorities added. The newly identified coronavirus which first appeared in Wuhan in December has killed nearly 500 people in China, one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines.

Source: New Strait Times February 05, 2020 09:11 UTC