Coronavirus: Government working to finalise health and safety protocols for Wuhan evacuation

Friday, 31 January 2020

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern outlines measures underway to evacuate and help NZ citizens at risk of Coronavirus infection.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government is working as fast as it can to finalise the evacuation of over 100 New Zealanders in Wuhan, China.

Ardern said good progress had been made with the logistics for a flight to bring home New Zealand citizens located at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Progress has also been made about how to manage returning citizens to make sure public health was protected.

Safety procedures for the Wuhan evacuation flight are still being worked through, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

'We are moving as quickly as we can. We've secured the plane. We're working through the screening that will happen on the ground. It's very important we get that right and also that we get clearance from Chinese authorities,' she said.

This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

* First suspected case of coronavirus in New Zealand

* Coronavirus declared a global emergency**

Ardern said dozens of Kiwis had registered their interest in boarding the charter flight, adding that as more information had come to light there were increasing numbers of citizens indicating they were in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.

'We are now making sure that we are keeping close contact. They'll be getting updates around the logistics and the planning for providing the ability to both be screened and get transport out of the province.'

Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern says the Government is working as fast as it can to bring New Zealand citizens home from Wuhan.

The Ministry of Health was working on the logistical details and protocols that would be in place for evacuees on their return, 'to make sure they remain quarantined and isolated from a public health perspective'.

Some of the measures would be shared publicly once finalised, she said.

The union for aviation workers, E tū was seeking assurances from Air New Zealand this afternoon that the safety of cabin and ground crew would be secured.

E tū head of aviation, Savage, said around 40 crew members had volunteered for the flight that will collect New Zealanders in Wuhan and return them home.

He understood the flight will head to Wuhan on Sunday or Monday. A Boeing 777-200ER aircraft will be used and the operating crew will fly to Hong Kong the day before so they can rest before the long flight to Wuhan and on to Auckland.

'Crew need to know that they're safe, what their risk of infection is as well as the risk of passing something on when they get back. That's the biggest concern they have, that they could pick it up and not know it and pass it on to colleagues or friends and family.

'We may sign a special agreement for the flight to clarify what to expect and what the conditions are,' Savage said.

In a written statement an Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the health and wellbeing of its staff was its top priority.

'We will be working closely with health authorities and our medical team on safe protocol for the flight.'

The airline was still working through the processes with the Ministry of Health and Ministry or Foreign Affairs and Trade, she said.

Ardern said flight safety details were being worked through 'in very fine detail', including working with cabin and ground crew.

'Protective measures will be in place, that's being worked through thoroughly but I will leave that to the Ministry of Health to complete that work and then share it,' she said.

The prime minister gave assurances that New Zealand already had a pandemic plan in place based on advice from the World Health Organisation.