Two people have been kept in quarantine at an Auckland navy base after one showed mild symptoms of coronavirus at the final check.
New Zealanders and foreigners who have been quarantined at an Auckland navy base for two weeks have been released today after passing health checks this morning.
But two have been kept in quarantine and have been tested for the virus, with health authorities now waiting for test results.
Friends and family of the more than 150 people quarantined in Whangaparāoa have been gathering outside the base since this morning.
The group, including almost 60 foreign nationals, have been in quarantine since returning from China on a special charter flight following the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
None of the group has become ill with the virus.
Waiting outside the gates, Cory Xiao said he had not seen his partner and 7-year-old son for weeks.
"I feel nervous and excited. I'm happy to be here to wait for them, I've just waited so long. I'm not sure when they are going to come out, so I just wait here."
He said the family was planning a meal together.
"I miss them so much, like every day, I can't wait to see them."
Tomorrow eight New Zealanders from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan will return home, via Australia, and will take up residency at the naval base.
They are expected to spend 14 days in quarantine following a coronavirus outbreak on board the ship.
The eight Diamond Princess passengers left Japan at 5am, travelling to Darwin before transferring to Auckland.
A New Zealand paramedic met them in Darwin.
They arrived in Aotearoa at about 4.30pm.
The Westerdam - which had sixteen New Zealanders on board - was turned away by several countries but was able to dock and disembark in Cambodia this week.
Five New Zealanders who were on the ship arrived in Auckland yesterday, and another eight today.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said everyone would go into self-isolation for 14 days.
He said they were assessed at the airport and would "be monitored on a daily basis by public health staff".
Dr Bloomfield added that two people who arrived yesterday showed symptoms of Covid-19, but tests later turned up negative results.
RNZ
