Dili – The government of Timor-Leste has expressed its gratitude to New Zealand for helping to evacuate 17 Timorese students from Wuhan, the city in China which is the centre of the corona-virus outbreak.

"On behalf of the government of Timor-Leste, I would like to thank the people and the government of New Zealand for their support to our students in this difficult time," prime minister Taur Matan Ruak said in the presidential palace in Dili, on Thursday (6/2).

Previously, the government had contacted several countries asking their help to evacuate the 17 students from Wuhan. Finally it was the New Zealand government that showed its solidarity by extending their assistance.

Currently the Timorese students are in quarantine for two weeks in New Zealand before they return to Timor-Leste. The incubation period for the virus is 14 days.

The prime minister explained that if the students don't show any symptoms of the corona-virus, they could come home. However, if they do show signs of the disease, the New Zealand government will continue to prolong the quarantine time.

In the meantime the council of ministers has approved a set of temporary measures with regard to Chinese citizens entering Timor-Leste. The objective is to regulate restrictions and prohibitions on foreign nationals coming from China entering Timor-Leste to prevent the spread of the corona-virus.

The government will update this resolution within two weeks to consider whether the measures need to be continued.

Source: https://www.tempotimor.com/en/1744-tl-thanks-new-zealand-for-evacuating-students