Thirty Pacific islanders are being quarantined at a New Zealand military base, following their evacuation from China.
They are among 193 evacuees who arrived in Auckland from the Chinese city at the epicentre of the new coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan, on Wednesday night.
The Pacific evacuees include 17 from Papua New Guinea, five Samoans, four Tongans, two Fijians, one from Kiribati and one from Federated States of Micronesia.
The group is expected to be held in isolation at Whangaparaoa, north of Auckland, for two weeks.
Otago University Professor Michael Baker said they would be contained and monitored and did not pose any threat to their home communities.
"Some of them may be vulnerable to infection and hopefully they'll do well. But that's not a problem, it's an easily managed problem in New Zealand and other places.
"Because we know exactly who they are. They're escorted every step of their journey. In many ways, they're a very fortunate group."