Coronavirus: New Zealand rescue flight from Wuhan touches down in Auckland

The flight carrying evacuees from the coronavirus epicentre in Wuhan has touched down in Auckland.

Earlier today, the Government-charted Air New Zealand flight NZ1942 took off out of China.

There are 100 New Zealanders on board as well as 35 Australians and 70 foreign nationals.

All but the Australian passengers will be transported to the quarantine centre in Whangaparaoa for 14 days.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson says it has been chosen because of its size and location - and it has its own medical facilities.

"We will ensure people receive daily medical checks while in isolation. We also want to ensure while people are in isolation, they can continue to maintain as normal a life as possible, despite the circumstances," a spokesperson said.

"The Ministry is also preparing to provide returnees with an information pack. This will provide information about the facility, dietary requirements, the 14-day isolation plan and security at the facility, among other things.

"There is a no-fly zone above this facility and people who want to drop parcels off to people in the facility will be asked to drop them at the local police station in Orewa."

The deadly, fast-spreading virus is nearing a death toll of 500 people with over 24,000 more confirmed infections.

So far 490 have died in China, one man in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.