Samoa transport link suspended over virus

Ferry sailings between the two Samoas have been suspended to prevent any potential spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.

The Samoa Shipping Corporation has cancelled trips on the MV Lady Naomi which is a main transport link between Apia in Samoa and Pago Pago in American Samoa.

The Samoa government-owned corporation says the suspension is due to new travel conditions imposed by American Samoa's Department of Health to contain the spread of the virus.

The Corporation announced on social media earlier today that all sailings have been suspended until further notice.

Meanwhile 30 people from several Pacific Island countries are among 190 evacuees from Wuhan who arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday evening.

Seventeen are from PNG, five from Samoa, four from Tonga, two are from Fiji and there is one person each from Federated States of Micronesia and Kiribati.

The passengers have been placed in quarantine in Whangaparaoa, north of Auckland, for two weeks.