OK, it might be a bit more serious than that. In news that sounds like it came straight out of a Hollywood script, an Air New Zealand 777-220 plane from Tokyo has been quarantined on arrival in Auckland after 73 of the passengers showed flu-like symptoms.
The H3N2 flu virus that is sweeping Japan at the moment is believed to have high-tailed it to Auckland via a number of the passengers aboard the plane. There were 274 people on board the Boeing 777-200, the third largest plane that Air New Zealand operates, after the 747-400 and 777-300.
After being held on the plane for a couple of hours after arrival, the front section was allowed off, some for further tests while others were let straight through into the terminal. It was reported that medical officials with biohazard suites had to board the plane on arrival to asses the situation. Some passengers are still being held and tested at the airport. Local area hospitals are also on standby.
Japan is currently at the mercy of a major flu epidemic, with reports of more than 2.1 million Japanese suffering from flu symptoms.
Damian Francis has previously edited Australian T3 and F1 Racing magazine and wrote for GQ Australia and Men’s Health. Unlike Nick and Trev, he has no kids, no mortgage and no wife, but lives happily on Sydney’s North Shore with his girlfriend.
A small-town schoolteacher with a loving family and eight years of amnesia starts noticing something…
Have you heard of MOVA? I hadn't, until a Robot Lawn Mower showed up at…
The battle of the backyard is on in earnest. Robot lawnmowers are the new focus…
JBL has unveiled its new range of microphones designed not just for karaoke but also…
Just a month ago, Sennheiser updated its MOMENTUM headphones, and today it announced the next…
This week we look at data from Samsung about the success of the Fold8 vs…