New Zealand quarantines Japan flight in flu scare

New Zealand health officials Monday allowed a group of passengers on a flight from Japan into the country after they were quarantined in a flu scare. Public health officials had cordoned off the Air New Zealand flight from Tokyo, which arrived at Auckland Airport with 274 passengers earlier in the day, after dozens of children on the flight were reported to be ill. Radio New Zealand reported that ambulance staff had said 73 home-stay students out of a group of 90 on the Boeing 777-200 had shown flu-like symptoms. Television reports showed men in white overalls and masks entering the aircraft. Aviation Security Services general manager Mark Everitt told Newstalk ZB radio station that a group of about 70 passengers who had displayed flu-like symptoms were kept aboard the plane while the rest were moved to a gate lounge and placed in quarantine. "We're pretty practised at this and we're very happy with the situation," Everitt told Newstalk ZB. However, all the passengers were later given a clean bill of health and allowed through Customs, said the Radio New Zealand report. A spokesperson for the home-stay group told Radio New Zealand it appeared there had been "an over-reaction." Some passengers had said they were unhappy about the lack of communication and the chaotic way the situation was handled, said the report. Health Minister Tony Ryall told Radio New Zealand he had been advised it was flu season in Japan and there was nothing to suggest that the children had anything other than seasonal flu.