A group of passengers from Japan at the centre of a health
scare on an Air New Zealand flight from Tokyo earlier today
have now been allowed to leave the airport.
A health scare was sparked after large group on flight NZ90
from Narita reported flu-like symptoms on arrival at Auckland
International Airport.
Aviation Security Services (Avsec) isolated flight NZ90 from
Narita, Tokyo, when the Boeing 777-200 touched down this
morning.
Avsec General manager Mark Everitt told Newstalk ZB a group
of about 70 passengers who are displaying flu-like symptoms
were kept aboard the plane while the rest of the 274 on the
flight were moved to a gate lounge and placed in quarantine.
He said other people at Auckland Airport don't need to worry:
"We're pretty practised at this and we're very happy with the
situation.''
A Japanese group of 93 teenagers travelling with 8 adults are
believed to have sparked the scare.
The group has now been picked up by an agency called Let's
Homestay and taken to Tauranga to be billeted with Kiwi
families.
Stuart Cumdy of Let's Homestay was waiting to pick up the
group and had been told all of them had been cleared and
would shortly be coming through Customs.
Health authorities told Mr Cumdy all students and teachers
were cleared for influenza and were fine to leave.
Passenger Lauren Borgas, 26, said she was 'red-stickered' by
health authorities after sitting in a row of seats directly
in front of the school group.
Men in white overalls and masks came on to the plane and
eventually escorted all passengers into the airport.
Red-stickered passengers were taken into a separate room
where St Johns staff took their temperatures and pulses.
Ms Borgas said when she was eventually cleared to join the
other passengers in a gate lounge she was surprised to see
the school group amongst them.
She said eventually a woman came into the room and told staff
to remove the school group.
Her mother Rhonda Borgas was angry at the lack of information
given to passengers and those - like herself - waiting on the
other side of Customs to collect them.
She was still on edge about what her daughter may have been
exposed to.
"If it was something really contagious it just proves we're
not ready cope."
Earlier the Health Minister downplayed the situation.
Tony Ryall said it was unlikely the passengers had contracted
anything worse than normal seasonal flu.
"We've been briefed on the situation, and advised that it is
Japan's flu season, and there are no reports of new strains
of flu there. We're keeping a watching brief but have been
told there's nothing to suggest it's anything other than
seasonal flu.''
- Herald Online staff with Newstalk ZB
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