Two New Zealanders who were held back in quarantine at Whangaparāoa Military Camp after one displayed mild symptoms of coronavirus have tested negative for the virus.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said one person who had been staying in Whangaparāoa Military Camp since being evacuated from Wuhan, China, two weeks ago, had displayed mild symptoms consistent with the virus.

Both the person and another person who had been sharing their living quarters had been held back in quarantine while tests were run, Bloomfield said.

However, by Wednesday evening, the Ministry of Health said both had returned negative tests and would be allowed to leave the centre.

Kyodo News via AP Buses carrying US passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, seen in background, leave Yokohama port, near Tokyo, early Monday, February 17, 2020.

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They would join the other 155 New Zealanders quarantined at the Auckland camp who were able to return home on Wednesday.

Feedback from Whangaparāoa residents on life under quarantine included reports of "slow wifi" and "no beer", however the majority expressed thanks for both the food and service provided.

KIWIS ON DIAMOND PRINCESS TO RETURN HOME

Meanwhile, eight New Zealanders are expected to be evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked off the coast of Yokohama, Japan, about 5am on Thursday.

The number of people on the ship infected grew by 88 new cases on Tuesday night, bringing the total to 542 - the largest concentration of cases outside mainland China.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed eight of the 11 Kiwis on board the ship would take a commercial Qantas flight arranged by the Australian government from Yokohama to Darwin.

From Darwin they would board another flight to Auckland, which was scheduled to land in New Zealand on Thursday night.

Air New Zealand paramedics would travel to Darwin to meet the Kiwis.

They would be assessed to the same standard as those who came back from the chartered flight from Wuhan, Dr Caroline McElnay said.

Anybody who was symptomatic in Japan or Darwin would not be able to board the next plane.

Once in New Zealand, the eight Kiwis would undergo quarantine for 14 days at Whangaparāoa.

RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF People quarantined for two weeks in Auckland's Whangaparaoa Military Base amid the coronavirus outbreak are reunited with their families on Wednesday afternoon.

FIVE KIWIS STAYING ABROAD

Two other New Zealanders remain in hospital in Yokohama recovering, after testing positive for the virus.

They were doing "well" and would be cleared to return to New Zealand upon their discharge, McElnay said.

Meanwhile, three other Kiwis on board the Diamond Princess have chosen not to board Thursday's flight to Darwin.

Those three would go to other countries to see out their 14-day quarantine period.

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF The Ministry of Health's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said he was "impressed" by the number of people who had travelled through China who had registered for self-isolation, despite hundreds of people still remaining off the ministry's radar.

KIWIS RETURNING FROM SECOND CRUISE SHIP

Sixteen Kiwis are also starting to return home from a second cruise ship - the Westerdam - which was docked in Cambodia.

An American woman who was on board the Westerdam was diagnosed with coronavirus after most passengers had left the ship.

Bloomfield said five of the 16 Kiwis had already returned to New Zealand and were in self-isolation.

Another eight who travelled back to New Zealand would enter self-isolation from Wednesday, Bloomfield said.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Locals asking questions at a meeting with the Whangaparaoa community.

HUNDREDS STILL NOT CONTACTED BY MINISTRY

Since February 3, about 7920 people had travelled from or through China to New Zealand, Bloomfield said.

Of those, about 2670 people had completed their two-week isolation period, which left about 5500 people who were still in a self-isolation situation.

As at Tuesday night, 4722 of those 5500 had been contacted by or registered with the ministry's telehealth service.

Bloomfield said the delay in contacting the remaining 800-odd people was due to the "manual" process of cross-checking Customs information with health ministry information.

The ministry had employed about 48 extra Mandarin-speaking staff to assist.

TOMOHIRO OHSUMI/GETTY Almost 2000 people have died of coronavirus around the world.

SITUATION WORSENS WORLDWIDE

More than 73,000 people have contracted coronavirus worldwide, leading to 1875 deaths.

Most cases remain within mainland China, but more than 25 other countries have reported cases, including five that have reported deaths.