Health checks at Auckland airport for Pacific bound passengers

All travelers flying to Pacific islands (excluding Tahiti) from Auckland will be required to go through a health check at the International Departures area prior to check-in at the airport.

The health check requirement came into effect today, Tuesday 17 March 2020.

Assessments including temperature checks will be carried out by District Health Board nurses at International Departures and are in addition to the specific entry requirements for the travellers final destination.

Earlier today three new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in New Zealand, were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Dr Bloomfield said all three new cases are people who had returned from international travel.

RNZ Pacific reports two of the cases are in Wellington and one is in Dunedin.

The man in Dunedin is in his 40s and began to show symptoms five days after returning from Germany.

Two of his family members, who have Covid-19 symptoms, are in self isolation.

Dr Bloomfield said the Dunedin man's son goes to Logan Park school in the city and has symptoms. If he tests positive, the Ministry of Health is recommending the school closes.

The Wellington cases were a man in his 30s and his father in his 70s had recently returned from the United States and neither of them required hospital care.

They came to Auckland from Los Angeles on Saturday on American Airlines flight AA83.

They then travelled to Wellington on Air NZ flight NZ419 that same day.

Dr Bloomfield said there are about 500 Covid-19 tests being conducted today around the country.