New Zealand: Foreign fishermen test positive for virus

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Of a total of 440 Russian and Ukrainian guest fishermen who arrived in New Zealand over the past few days, at least 11 have tested positive for COVID-19.

The fishermen from Russia and Ukraine are being quarantined in a hotel in Christchurch, daily New Zealand Herald reported Tuesday.

They had tested negative before leaving for New Zealand from their countries.

The country’s Health Ministry said 14 more cases are “under further investigation”.

“All are imported cases detected at routine Day 3 testing. None involve cases in the community,” the ministry added.

“The positive cases are part of a group who are the only people staying at this facility. This is an example of our border controls working as they should.”

Les Morgan, the chief operating officer of Sudima Hotel located around Christchurch airport, said his facility was put under lockdown after a staff member told there were a “number of infections”.

There are a “significant number of potential COVID-19 cases limited to hotel guests in isolation” but all are visiting fishermen, he said.

The fishing companies brought in the fishermen from Moscow via Singapore last Friday to Christchurch in two separate flights.

New Zealand has reported 1,887 coronavirus cases, including 25 deaths and 1829 recoveries, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University.