The Ministry of Health is advising people coming to New Zealand from the epicentre of China's new coronavirus outbreak to self-isolate.
Ministry of Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield gave the advice during a press conference updating the situation today.
"People who have visited the Hubei province and come to New Zealand in the last 14 days they should self-isolate, what this means is they should not go to places where they are going to be in contact with other people," Dr Bloomfield said.
He noted people could "still walk around the block for exercise" and wouldn't have to stay inside 24/7.
The precaution comes as there are concerns people may be able to transmit the coronavirus before showing symptoms.
Dr Bloomfield reassured the public by stating that the virus remains well contained outside of China and the "risk is still very low of a community outbreak in New Zealand."
However, he did note that the ministry is expecting we will get a case here, but "we know what to do when that happens".
Dr Bloomfield also pointed out that research published in the Lancet medical journal shows around 98 per cent of people with coronavirus had a fever of around 38 degrees or higher.
"Without this you are very, very unlikely to be sick with the virus."
A handful of cases had been tested in New Zealand as a precautionary measure and no one has tested positive for coronavirus.
The advice comes as the Government today announced it has chartered an Air New Zealand aircraft to evacuate New Zealanders from the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
According to a statement from Foreign Minister Winston Peters, the aircraft will have capacity for around 300 passengers and will fly from Wuhan in China to New Zealand.
Officials will be working through operational requirements with Air New Zealand and Chinese authorities.
Officials are currently developing procedures for pre-departure health screening of passengers, infection control inflight, and isolation of all passengers arriving in New Zealand for up to two weeks.
The death toll from coronavirus rose to 170 today within China, with 7711 cases reported.
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