Virus flight travellers elude health officials

Health officials have contacted 18 passengers seated near a person infected with coronavirus, but not all have responded.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told media yesterday that health officials would be knocking on doors to find the final people seated near the infected passengers.

A traveller infected with coronavirus flew into New Zealand on Wednesday from Tehran, Iran, via Bali on Emirates flight EK450.

Ardern said the patient’s condition was stable and continued to improve. The patient – in their 60s – is being treated in Auckland City Hospital in a negative pressure room to prevent spread of the disease. Three of their family members are also in self-isolation.

At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Health’s directorgeneral of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said that there was still only the one case of coronavirus in New Zealand.

In regards to contact tracing the other passengers who were in nearby rows on board the same flight as the passenger, Bloomfield said the job was ‘‘progressing’’.

The ministry had revised down the list of people who sat near the person who were at risk from 20 to 18. All 18 had been contacted by email or phone, Bloomfield said.

Many of the 18 people were in Auckland, however some were in Nelson, and at least one was in Christchurch, Bloomfield said. Not all 18 were New Zealanders. The ministry had asked those 18 people to enter supervised selfisolation for 14 days.

Healthline was contacting others on board the flight as a courtesy.

Bloomfield said the ministry was moving to get all airlines to make inflight announcements on coronavirus. This would be supplemented by information at airports, and the information would be available in a range of languages.

He said 136 tests have been undertaken, with only the one result returned positive. Eleven results were yet to be returned but were expected soon, he said. The 11 who were being tested had come to the ministry’s attention after presenting with coronavirus like symptoms.

The Government held back from announcing any tougher border control policies.

Every passenger would receive information about whom to contact if they felt unwell, Ardern said.

Health officials would also test any passengers who arrived at the border showing symptoms.

Ardern said she was constantly receiving advice from health officials on where restrictions might be needed and they were ‘‘constantly monitoring’’ the situation.

New Zealand had ‘‘incredibly robust’’ pandemic plans to track people who came into contact with coronavirus, she said. This case had been ‘‘textbook’’.

People were complying with selfisolation rules – and some were even remaining in isolation after 14 days, she said.

Border controls are in place preventing visitors coming from or travelling through mainland China from entering the country. As of Friday, visitors from Iran are also included.

The person being treated for coronavirus wasn’t subject to any health checks on arrival to New Zealand despite being sick on the plane.

Some passengers have criticised New Zealand’s border controls, including a man who travelled on the Emirates flight.

Calab Vincent-goncalves said the Government’s plan to stop Covid-19 breaching New Zealand borders was not up to standard when he arrived.

‘‘Our only checks are at Customs, asking people if they have been to China, and that’s [it].’’

Meanwhile, the Samoan Government issued a statement on Saturday forcing a number of airlines to reduce flights because of the ‘‘catastrophic’’ effect coronavirus could have on the Pacific island nation.

Ardern said she had told the Samoan primeminister she supported the move.

Air New Zealand flights from Auckland to Apia would drop from six to three a week from today, Air NZ said yesterday. ‘‘Air New Zealand will directly contact customers affected by these changes. Customers booked via a travel agent, including online travel agents, will be contacted by their booking agent.’’

All passengers to Samoa would also be required to carry a medical certificate, indicating they are well and able to travel, the Samoan Government said.

Samoa Airways was also ordered to reduce its number of flights from New Zealand from five to three a week.

Travellers entering Samoa from Australia, Fiji, American Samoa, Hawaii or Tonga will also be required to travel with a medical certificate.