More than 150 people quarantined at an Auckland naval base will leave today, two weeks after being evacuated from the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan in central China.
Fifty-nine foreigners, mainly from the Pacific Islands, will leave the Whangaparāoa military base at 11am in a bus to the airport, and 98 New Zealanders will leave later either by bus or with friends or family.
Aucklander Candy Wang, who was in quarantine with her three young children, said they would have their last health checks at 10am, and her husband would pick them up early this afternoon.
She would be pleased to leave but was grateful to have been on the plane that got the family out of Wuhan.
"I'm so happy and so grateful for what the Government has done for us. It was so helpful because it was so stressful in Wuhan - living under fear every single day."
Gregory Kim shows a picture on his cellphone of wife Lily Gao and daughter Elysse at the Tamaki Leadership centre on Whangaparoa Peninsula. Photo / Supplied
Wang said they were very well looked after at the navy base where there were constant checks on how they were doing and what they needed.
Staff helped people celebrate their birthdays and decorated the kitchen for the Lantern Festival and on Valentine's Day.
"We've got so many things from here. It's more than what we had when we arrived here. We got so many stuff - like shampoo, body lotion, hand sanitiser - you know everything - also books and toys."
Gregory Kim and wife Lily Gao. Photo / Supplied
Wang's 8-year-old daughter, Tanya, said she had always wanted to live in a campervan and she was in two minds about leaving.
"I like the food here and I also have lots of things to do liking reading the books. I'm playing on the grass, sliding down with a cardboard on the grass," she said.
"I don't know. I also want to stay and I also want to go, because I want to stay here and have fun but I also want to go to school and see my friends."
Lily Gao, who has been living in the navy base with her 2-year-old daughter, and can't wait to be picked up by her husband later today.
"So far I feel quite excited to go home because we have been away from home for almost two months and my daughter misses her daddy, misses her toys and her friends."
"For me, it's quite a unique and special experience because I've never been to an army base in my whole life.
"Also we've got a lot of help and support from many different people."
1902VirusUpdate
Gao and her fellow evacuees have been praised by the Ministry of Health which said their co-operation throughout the two weeks had helped in the global effort to fight the virus. - RNZ
