21 Feb 2020

Two Australian Diamond Princess evacuees with coronavirus

From Checkpoint, 5:42 pm on 21 February 2020

There are concerns about the wellbeing of New Zealand evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan after two Australian passengers tested positive for coronavirus.

A passenger, left, disembarks from the Diamond Princess at Yokohama on Wednesday 19 February 2020.

Photo: AFP

The Australians were on a plane with six New Zealanders who are now quarantined at the Whangaparaoa air base.

One of the New Zealanders, Wren Manuel, is worried by the diagnosis, but said their group is being well looked after.

Manuel and his wife Kay, are now settling into their caravan at the Whangaparaoa air base, which will be home for another 11 days.

The Auckland couple had initially rejected the government's offer to evacuate them from the Diamond Princess because they had already spent two weeks quarantined on the ship and weren't keen on another stint holed up with not a lot to do.

But then they changed their minds.

"We had no choice really," he said, adding that, either way, they would have had to go into another 14 day quarantine.

Manuel came back with about 180 others, including five other New Zealanders, on an evacuation flight from Tokyo to Darwin airport, before landing in Auckland.

Six Australians were isolated after presenting minor symptoms on arrival in Darwin yesterday morning - two have now been confirmed as having the virus.

"That is a little bit of a concern, because who is to say what could happen next?" Manuel said.

But he added that each person in the group is having their temperature and blood pressure tested daily and are in good hands.

Manuel said there isn't a lot to do at the air base and he just wants to get back to work.

The self-employed businessman hasn't only been away from work for a while, but also imports tyres, some from China, which has been affected by trade restrictions and manufacturers being temporarily closed.

The saga has cast a bit of a shadow over his holiday, he said.

"The cruise was good, but now it is all forgotten because on the very last day we were told we had to be confined for 14 days."

He said coming back for another 14-day quarantine is disappointing, but he understands why the government has imposed it.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said none of the New Zealanders at the Whangaparaoa air base have symptoms but will be tested daily.

"If there is any sense that they have any symptoms that could be suggestive of Covid-19, there will be a low bar for testing, as there was for Wuhan evacuees."

The government is currently assessing the travel restrictions.

At the moment, any travellers who leave or transit through China are refused entry into New Zealand.

Dr Bloomfield said the travel restrictions are due to expire on Monday, but all options remain on the table.  

"We're just in the process of putting further advice to cabinet about decisions for any extension, or lifting, or continuing the current restrictions beyond midnight Monday," he said.

There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Zealand.