New Zealand has today reported 25 new Coronavirus cases, the highest number reported since early April. 

However, these ones have been brought in by Ukrainian and Russian fishing crews, who arrived in the country on a charter flight several days ago.

Since then, the virus has spread to two local community cases, linked to a dock worker who came into contact with the new arrivals. These are the first cases of community transmission since September 25th. 


The outbreak has highlighted the importance of maintaining strict border controls in order to protect New Zealand’s success with the virus. 

The charter flight was organised by a seafood company, who flew the fisherman from Moscow to New Zealand via Singapore, where the passengers stayed on the plane during refuelling. 

A total of 235 crew arrived, and was the first of two scheduled flights set to arrive in the country. It is likely that the second flight, carrying another 200 fisherman, will be delayed. 

Russia currently has the fourth-highest number of COVID-19cases in the world. Hang on, didn’t they come up with a vaccine? Weird. 

Although anyone entering New Zealand (a privilege currently only extended to returning New Zealanders and their families) is required to undergo two weeks quarantine, as well as take two COVID-19 tests during that time, some allowances have been made for ‘essential workers’, including fisherman.  

The fishing crew were required to self-isolate for two weeks prior to departure, and were all tested for the virus before they left. Only two of that group tested positive, and were not allowed to board the flight from Moscow. All of the other infections have been picked up in Christchurch, after a second round of mandatory testing. 


The Sudima Hotel in Christchurch, where the crew are now undergoing quarantine. 

The entire crew are now undergoing further quarantine in the city, and authorities are now testing anyone who came into contact with the group.   

Ashley Bloomfield, the director general of health, said: 

“We are not being complacent at the border and all New Zealanders need to make sure they are not complacent in the community.” 
“The fact that we’ve found these infections is absolutely the system working,” 

Fingers crossed this doesn’t cause an extra outbreak in New Zealand’s South Island, which hasn’t had a COVID-19 case for months, and just recently started allowing residents to travel to Australia.