Passengers detained due to flu scare

13 February 2012 - 10:03
By Sapa-dpa

Passengers on a flight from Japan to New Zealand were detained on arrival after a health scare, media reports said.

The New Zealand Herald said 274 passengers on the plane that arrived in Auckland from Narita, Tokyo were kept on board for screening after a large group displayed flu-like symptoms.

A Japanese group of 93 teenagers travelling with 8 adults were believed to have sparked the scare when 70 of them appeared unwell.

Medical officers assessed and eventually released all the passengers.

New Zealand's Minister of Health Tony Ryall said he was advised it was unlikely the passengers had contracted anything worse than normal seasonal flu.