Coronavirus: Social media bullying leads to North Shore, Auckland couple rejecting food offers

Four people in New Zealand have been diagnosed with Coronavirus so far. Illustration / File Ok Cancel

A North Shore couple with coronavirus don't feel comfortable accepting offers of food from the community because of "social media bullying".

A friend of the couple posted on a community Facebook page to say while offers were appreciated, they wouldn't be accepted.

"They have asked me to thank you all for your kind words, support and offerings of help. They really want all you kind people to know how grateful and appreciative that they are for your support, and that they are well and recovered, however still in isolation."

But the couple said they wouldn't accept offers of meals and food, the friend wrote in a post she said had been approved by the couple.

"Unfortunately, due to very negative and nasty social media bullying, they don't feel comfortable accepting offers of meals and food."

The Coronavirus is in New Zealand. Graphic / Phil Welch

The friend added the couple's two children "DO NOT have the Coronavirus as per the rumour mill stating otherwise!!"

Positive and supportive comments were welcomed, but no further questions would be answered, the friend wrote, adding medical advice was available via Healthline.

Earlier this week, Auckland Regional Public Health Service director Dr William Rainger said the family had been subjected to "sustained and abusive bullying" on social media.

"The woman with the virus has gone straight into isolation with her family when she was told she was suspected of having Covid-19. Yet they have become the focus of sustained and abusive bullying on social media and are being hounded by the media.

"There is a high level of anxiety and concern in the school and wider communities, but it is not acceptable to attack people who have been caught up in this global outbreak."

The family had taken all the right actions to protect others, Rainger said, as he and others, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, called for calm as the first coronavirus cases in New Zealand were diagnosed this week.

Four people have been diagnosed with the virus in New Zealand. Worldwide there have been almost 100,000 cases, and more than 3000 deaths.