WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Friday that it was placing temporary restrictions on incoming travelers from Iran as a precautionary measure to protect against the coronavirus outbreak.

“This means people will not be able to travel from Iran to New Zealand and anyone who has been in Iran in the last 14 days will need to self-isolate,” Health Minister David Clark said in a statement.

The death toll in Iran from coronavirus had risen to 26, by far the highest number outside China.

New Zealand also decided not to allow any exemptions for overseas students from China to enter the country.

Clark added there would be an increased presence of health staff that would meet direct international flights landing at New Zealand airports from Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.