Quarantine

The first agreement would be with New Zealand, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

Other nations that could follow suit are Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Pacific Island nations.

Australia closed its borders in March, early into the pandemic.

To date, it has recorded 27,263 cases and 898 deaths.

It has fared better than other nations but recently saw a second wave in the state of Victoria, forcing Melbourne and its surrounding areas into another lockdown. Infections have fallen dramatically since.

RNZ understands a group of players have already told New Zealand Rugby they don't want to leave their young families for up to ten weeks, which would likely include spending Christmas in quarantine upon their return.

Those players include first-fives Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett.

Mo'unga and his wife recently had their first child, while Barrett will become a father for the first time in the next month.

The Government advises that this extension will remain effective until the end of December, 2020.

Some exceptions have been made for humanitarian flights to transport essential equipment and medical supplies for the Government as it enters the final stages of its preparations for repatriation of nationals. 

A group of 20 nationals from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) will be the first to be repatriated.

All repatriated nationals would be required to undergo mandatory quarantine at a Government-designated facility on South Tarawa.

The passengers were tested for COVID-19 in New Zealand last week and the results were all negative.

CEO for Health, Dr. Siale ‘Akau’ola said, the flight brought many passengers in comparison to the repatriation flight from Fiji and the passengers were required to present their COVID-19 test certificates to the Ministry of Health Boarder Control Team at the airport.

She said the man was apprehended by police after only making it 50 metres from the hotel.

"They didn't even make 50 metres. Security and the police were on to it and it really does show the work of having the police on site.

"They could be immediately brought back into the facility. This is an example of the systems working as they should.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb said the 32-year-old man attempted to follow a staff member out of the gate, claiming he was a worker.

The Minister said, the 57 passengers who arrived from Fiji two weeks ago had been quarantined for 14-days at Tanoa Hotel, and their final tests came back negative. They were all released to go home.

They are being advised to quarantine at home for a further seven-days as an extra precaution.

“We are thankful that Tonga remains COVID-19 free. Today after 14-days of quarantine, they were all negative,” she said.

The test results for the first swab test conducted at the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel have all returned negative.

A statement said daily tests conducted by Health staff, who are also in quarantine with the passengers have gone well, with no one showing any symptoms of the coronavirus so far.

All passengers are going through two daily tests for temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate.

Meals are provided three times a day and groups are allowed separate times to do their supervised exercise and walks around the zoned off hotel hall and foyer.

It said the measure had been finalised in a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya had previously said the requirement would be lifted in July, without giving a date.

The news comes as the UK government prepares to bring in its own 14-day quarantine policy from 8 June.

Travel firms and other industry bodies say the UK should relax the measure for visitors arriving from countries where people are at a lower risk of contracting the coronavirus.

After undergoing a last health check, the evacuees left the Whangaparaoa military base and travelled by bus to the airport. 

98 New Zealanders left by bus or with family and friends.

The base will soon be back in use as a quarantine centre. Eight New Zealanders on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship​ are due to leave Japan late on Wednesday night on an Australian evacuation flight to Darwin.

Of the 14 New Zealanders originally on board the ship, two are still in hospital in Japan and a family member has stayed with them.

Edward Khan of the Jefferson County Health Department says the patient is being treated at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital after developing symptoms and notifying authorities.

Khan says the patient recently traveled to a country with Ebola cases, but he didn't identify the country or name the patient.