Adam Fern, of Napier, is a Kiwi living in China. Image / YouTube
Adam Fern, of Napier, is a Kiwi living in China. Image / YouTube
Weet-Bix and pasta are helping to keep one New Zealander going as he remains under lockdown in China, as the country battles to contain the deadly coronavirus.
Adam Fern lives in Hangzhou, the most populous city of Zhejiang Province, about an eight-hour car ride from the epicentre of the epidemic: Wuhan.
Holed up in his apartment, he has started to chronicle what life is like on the ground via social media sites Facebook and YouTube.
In one photo, he shares what travelling on the subway looks like these times. As passengers sit in their seats, military personnel armed with shields and wearing face masks line the aisle.
New Zealander Adam Fern's fridge is stocked and ready as he remains in lock down in China. Photo / Adam Fern
In the latest update, more than 24,600 people have been infected with coronavirus. The death toll has now reached 494, while just over 1000 people are said to have recovered from the virus.
Almost 200 people - made up of Kiwis, Australians and Pacific Island citizens - who were in Wuhan arrived on an Air New Zealand charter flight yesterday evening. They are now in quarantine for 14 days at a military base in Whangaparāoa.
Fern, from Napier, also gives an insight about his living situation - sharing a photo of a stocked up fridge and pantry.
Among the packets of frozen meals and large bottles of water are New Zealand branded items - Anchor butter, Meadow Fresh milk and Nutri-Brex - the international name for Kiwi breakfast favourite Weet-Bix.
"I'm hunkered down with enough supplies to keep me going for about a month(ish)."
Military personnel with masks are seen everywhere in China, including on the subway. Photo / Adam Fern
He tells friends and family he is keeping "nice and busy" with a take-home exam and research paper from his tertiary provider, Massey University, and was currently at home on full pay.
In a YouTube clip this week, a black mask covers half his face as he shows off what it is like to venture out in the city these days.
While going out to buy supplies at a local supermarket, he finds streets usually teeming with thousands of people virtually deserted.
"Around this area, you should be expecting traffic or people on par with Westminster and London. But, as I'm about to show you, there is literally nothing here.
Adam Fern, of Napier, is a Kiwi living in China. Image / YouTube
"There's a couple of taxis, maybe a few other things, but not much. This place is absolutely deserted. It's kind of spooky."
As he reaches the six-floor supermarket - with about 20 entrances, he says - he finds all of them closed.
As he goes through an empty subway station, he points out how frightening it is that there is "not a soul in sight" and explains how important it is that he does not touch anything in case of an infection.
"I'm taking great pains not to touch anything down here. I don't actually have any hand sanitiser on me."
The final walk towards his apartment complex becomes difficult as well; as barriers have suddenly popped up since he left - something that is now normal.
People are stopped for temperature checks before being allowed home.
"Anyone who doesn't pass their check gets put in a van and taken to a hospital - which is not where you want to be considering there are hundreds of people with coronavirus in that hospital."
Finally reaching his home, he says he will continue to hunker down and do his best not to get a fever.
"The last thing I want is to go to one of those temperature checks ... and to get taken off to one of those hospitals as a result of having an overly hot forehead.
