Live coronavirus updates: ‘Zero tolerance’ for travellers who don’t self-isolate

The government says there will be zero tolerance for those who do not follow the rules of self isolation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

At a press conference where she confirmed that events with more than 500 people in the coming weeks will not go ahead, Ardern said Cabinet had given approval for temporary visa holders for those entering into New Zealand to be liable for detention and deportation if they did not comply with instructions from a medical officer of health relating to a quantifiable or infectious disease.

“This reinforces how serious we are about protecting the health of New Zealanders and will encourage visitors to comply with our rules or leave voluntarily if they don’t wish to do so.

“Anyone who is deported faces serious and ongoing consequences including high chances of being refused future visa applications here and in many other countries,” Ardern said.

• If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs)

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As Covid-19 spreads around the world, it can be daunting keeping up with the information. For RNZ, our responsibility is to give you verified, up to the minute, trustworthy information to help you make decisions about your lives and your health. We’ll also be asking questions of officials and decision makers about how they’re responding to the virus. Our aim is to keep you informed.