Morning Report

Seventeen countries have now run special flights to evacuate foreign nationals from Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

Air New Zealand too has a rescue mission underway, with New Zealanders due to be picked up from Wuhan at 2am Wednesday New Zealand time.

David Powell is medical adviser with the International Air Transport Association.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

Chinese authorities has granted an Air New Zealand plane permission to land in Wuhan to evacuate the Kiwis who've spent close to two weeks under lockdown because of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

The government-chartered Air New Zealand plane will arrive in Wuhan around 2am New Zealand Time tomorrow, 9pm local time, and is scheduled to pick up 70 New Zealanders.

The flight should then arrive back in Auckland late Wednesday afternoon. Lily Gao and her two-year-old daughter Elysse have been cooped up in her parents' house in Wuhan since the lockdown was imposed on 23 January.

The New Zealand Consulate contacted Gao yesterday with the news she'd been hoping for - if well enough, she and her daughter will be allowed to board the emergency flight that will take them back to Auckland and her husband.

They'll need to undergo rigorous testing to ensure they aren't carrying the coronavirus before they're allowed on the plane.

In other developments The Chinese government has accused the US of causing "panic" in its response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

It follows the US decision to lead the pack and declare a public health emergency and deny entry to foreign nationals who had visited China in the past two weeks.

New Zealand, Australia, Japan and a number of other countries have since followed suit.

There are now more than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus in China.

Some 361 people have died there.

Outside China, there are more than 150 confirmed cases of the virus - but still only one death, in the Philippines.

China is now calling urgently for medical supplies to help it fight the outbreak.

The outbreak is also now posing an enormous threat to the global economy.

Asian markets plunged in the first day of trading after the extended lunar new year holiday bringing China's stock markets down to a near one-year-low at closing shaving of some US$450 billion in market value.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.

The heavy rain in Fiordland, where hundreds of people have been trapped by torrential falls, is expected to ease a bit later this morning.

MetService is expecting a further 90 to 150 millimeters on top of what has already fallen.

Slips, rockfalls and washouts have closed State Highway 94, which is the only route in and out.

Civil Defence says just over 400 people remained trapped in Milford Sound, nearly half of them tourists.

University students who are still in China are said to be frustrated and uncertain about what to do following the travel ban imposed by our government yesterday.

Just under half of all international students in New Zealand come from China, and Auckland University estimates up to three quarters of their contingent are affected.

Concerns over whether the ban will be extended beyond the initial fourteen days means students could miss the beginning of the semester on 2 March.

Universities announced yesterday a range of measures to adapt to the ban, including delayed enrolments and individual study plans.

Former Vice President of the International Students Union, Vaelyn Luo, says she has been messaging students trying to help.

She told RNZ reporter Harry Lock, getting clear communication from the universities is proving difficult.

Opener Rohit Sharma is out of the rest of India's cricket tour of New Zealand because of injury.

Government-chartered plane is on its way to Wuhan to rescue New Zealanders who are in lockdown because of the coronavirus epidemic. Almost 200 tourists remain stuck in Milford Sound as the rain continues to fall on the Coast. Politicians front up today on the paepae at Waitangi.

The Indian cricket team wrapped up a five-nil sweep of the T20 series against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last night.

While the series has been a tough watch for Black Cap fans, it's been a delight for followers of India.

One fan in particular has been enjoying seeing his heroes in action.

Elizabeth Thomson has more.

Hundreds are expected to gather in the small settlement of Panguru on the Hokianga harbour this morning to unveil a statue honouring the late Dame Whina Cooper.

This year marks 45 years since the famous land march she led left Te Hapua, with the catch cry that not one more acre of land be taken.

Leaders from around the north, politicians, the Prime Ministers and descendents of Dame Whina Cooper will be in attendance at Waipuna marae in Panguru. 

RNZ reporter, Māni Dunlop, is there and speals to Corin Dann.