How NZ will cope with virus

The Government has decided to extend a ban on foreign travellers arriving from China to protect against the spread of coronavirus.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the current restrictions, which were due to expire at midnight, should remain in place for a further eight days and would be reviewed every 48 hours.

New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families will be able to return but will have to self-isolate for 14 days, she said.

China has pushed back strongly against the restrictions and last week China’s ambassador to New Zealand, Wu Xi, heaped pressure on the Government to open its borders.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health’s technical advisory group is looking at whether a travel ban may be extended to other countries.

The Government was also investigating the viability of tertiary students travelling to New Zealand, Ardern said.

It follows a similar approach in Australia, where senior high school students, who remained in China, had been offered a strict pathway back to studies.

‘‘We would need to be satisfied that any health risk could be practically managed, with the education sector able to reassure us that it has credible, self-isolation and accommodation plans in place, supported by an extensive plan.’’

During her post-Cabinet meeting yesterday, Ardern also outlined how equipped New Zealand would be if there was an outbreak and the steps in the health systems to deal with it.

New Zealand was planning to be prepared for the worst and not predicting it, she said.

‘‘We are ready and we are very well prepared.’’

The current restrictions had significantly contributed to keeping New Zealand free of a case and had also bought time to understand the virus, she said.

Given that the virus had spread to about 28 countries, it was highly likely Covid-19 would eventually come to New Zealand but preparations meant it would be in a better place when it did, particularly if it arrived in flu season, she said.

There was a national supply of critical, clinical equipment that was ready to be deployed as needed, she said.

This included equipment that may be in short supply during a pandemic such as antivirals and 18 million masks.

New Zealand could test for the virus in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, with same day results, she said.

Last week Ardern announced the Government would make an initial investment of $11m into a tourism package to support that sector, following the impact of coronavirus.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said he would be meeting leaders from the tourism industry today to discuss the response.

Cabinet had also directed officials to look at redeployment options for those in the forestry sector, such as working for the Department of Conservation.

Across the globe, nearly 80,000 people have been reported as having contracted the virus, Officially named Covid-19, including 2467 people who have died.