NZDF may help with Wuhan ‘evacuation’

WELLINGTON: The Government is considering enlisting the help of the New Zealand Defence Force to get New Zealanders living in the Chinese city of Wuhan — ground zero for the deadly coronavirus — back home.

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday there were several logistical issues the Government needed to address before an evacuation was attempted.

Ms Ardern confirmed yesterday 53 New Zealanders were registered as being in the Wuhan region.

About 20 of these have contacted the Government seeking consular assistance she said, but no New Zealanders in the city are showing symptoms of the virus.

Ms Ardern said the Chinese Government had advised it would be ‘‘very difficult’’ to evacuate New Zealand citizens, even if they were healthy, because of the measures put in place.

There were ‘‘many logistical issues’’ that needed to be worked through with the Chinese Government.

These include navigating the tight travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government, predeparture screening requirements, and complying with any quarantine measures.

Because of this, evacuating New Zealanders was ‘‘not a simple, straightforward exercise’’.

Despite this, in a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was exploring evacuation options with other countries.

‘‘Options include the possibility of places being made available for New Zealanders on charter flights leaving Wuhan, or assisted departure by NZDF [New Zealand Defence Force] which is more complex,’’ a spokesman said.

The spokesperson warned New Zealanders currently in China that they ‘‘must comply with all Chinese laws, rules and regulations, including the travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to contain the virus’’.

The US Department of State is making arrangements to get its government staff out of Wuhan but Ms Ardern confirmed there were no New Zealand Government officials in the city.

She also said Cabinet had yesterday decided to classify coronavirus as a ‘‘notifiable disease’’— which gives medical officials the power to quarantine people, if required.

But Directorgeneral of Health Ashley Bloomfield said a situation where officials would have to exercise this power would be ‘‘very, very unusual’’.

Other diseases which are classed as notifiable include hepatitis A, typhoid and paratyphoid fever and salmonellosis. — The New Zealand Herald