SINGAPORE: Air New Zealand has confirmed that a passenger who travelled on board a Singapore to Auckland flight tested positive for the novel coronavirus, it said in a travel alert on Wednesday (Mar 4).

The passenger, the airline said, travelled on flight NZ283 on Feb 25 from Singapore, before travelling from Auckland to Palmerston North on flight NZ5103 on Mar 2. The woman returned to Auckland the same day on flight NZ8114.



"We are working closely with the (New Zealand) Ministry of Health and government agencies to identify and proactively contact customers who travelled on the Singapore service and the two regional flights," said the airline.



According to the New Zealand Herald, the woman was returning from a holiday in northern Italy via Singapore. She is now in self-isolation at home and her partner is also in isolation after showing symptoms, the paper added.

On Tuesday, Singapore announced it would block entry and transit for new visitors who travelled to Iran, northern Italy or South Korea within the last 14 days.



The measure, which takes effect on Wednesday, is among the additional precautions Singapore is taking to help reduce the risk of imported cases in Singapore.



"We have been monitoring the virus situation very closely and as all of you know, it is spreading very quickly to countries everywhere. And Singapore, as a small, open city connected to the world, we face a higher risk of imported cases," said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong told reporters.

"That's why the task force has decided to take additional precautions for travel in and out of Singapore."

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