A total of 385 people have registered themselves as "self-isolating" for the coronavirus in New Zealand, Healthline has revealed.
CEO of the National Telehealth Service Andrew Slater confirmed that of this number, 359 people had recently returned from mainland China.
Healthline launched its self-registration service on Friday, and since then more than 1585 people have called the service with concerns about coronavirus. This number only includes people who identified themselves, not those who chose to remain anonymous when calling.
The Ministry of Health advises people should self-isolate for 14 days if they've travelled from or through China, or if they've specifically visited Wuhan or Hubei province.
Call volumes have risen by 25 percent compared with this time last year, with many calls being from "anxious" people or those who had general queries about the virus.
Slater said that of the people who have contacted Healthline, no one yet has met the Ministry of Health's clinical criteria for the coronavirus test.
Coronavirus symptoms include a fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. There is a chance for infection if a person has been in mainland China or exposed to someone who is confirmed to have coronavirus.
When people call to self-register for a 14-day self-isolation period, Healthline asks about health and welfare, if they have adequate access to food and medication and for contact information. Someone from Healthline will then call back regularly over the isolation period.
The Ministry of Health recommends people in self-isolation register themselves with Healthline by calling 0800 358 5453 - a number dedicated to health-related calls about coronavirus.
