Public health staff will begin meeting flights from China from Monday as the coronavirus threat grows.

The move comes after criticism from National Party health spokesman Michael Woodhouse, who said the Government wasn't doing enough to detect it at Auckland International Airport.  

"Events and the virus itself are moving much faster than the New Zealand Government is," he said on Sunday afternoon. 

"We now have the direct involvement of Chinese President Xi Jinping and a number of countries taking proactive steps to manage the risk of the virus in their countries."

Shortly after, Health Minister David Clark announced that staff would begin to actively look for the signs of the novel coronavirus and provide advice, information and reassurance to passengers.  

The decision followed the arrival of the disease in Australia, via flights direct from the city of Wuhan, Clark said. 

"Health officials began preparations for placing staff at our major airports last week, and we will have that in place for all flights from China tomorrow."  

The risk of an outbreak in New Zealand remained low, he said. 

"But we are increasing our health response at the border as a precaution."  

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A Ministry of Health Incident Control Team was working closely with international partners, he said.   

Woodhouse said on Sunday he was concerned about the Government's lack of action to date.  

"A passenger on a flight from China last night reported to me that nearly every single passenger on board that flight was wearing a mask. 

"When they arrived in Auckland expecting to be screened and have information provided to them, there was none." 

All people should be screened for symptoms, he said.

"It's not too late, there are steps that can be taken to manage this risk, and hopefully prevent the virus coming to New Zealand, if it's not here already." 

Woodhouse said his colleagues and himself had been inundated with concerns, including health providers  and from education providers.  

"[They're] saying we're seeing what's happening around the world, and we're seeing nothing happening in the country.

"That says to me that there isn't enough being done."   

But Clark said the Ministry of Health had been actively responding to the threat since January 6. 

On Tuesday,  he would take a paper to Cabinet, which would make the coronavirus a notifiable disease, Clark said.   

The first flight from mainland China to be met by public health staff will be in Auckland at 6.30am on Monday.  

Both Auckland and Christchurch International Airports will have a public health nurse available to take the temperatures of incoming passengers from flights from China who feel unwell. 

If their temperature is over 38 degrees, they will be offered further advice and assessment.

DHBs have also developed a handout and information post to display at the airport and circulate to passengers.  

Ministry of Health Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Harriette Carr said DHBs and Public Health Units around the country and would keep the Ministry up to date of any suspected cases.

"New Zealand laboratories should be ready to test for the novel coronavirus by later this week. Until then, we have an arrangement in place so we can send samples to Australia for testing." 

The new coronavirus causes pneumonia, and symptoms are similar to the regular flu and include fever, and cough or breathing difficulties, Carr said. 

As Wuhan was in the middle of the winter season, common respiratory illnesses are expected among travellers from Wuhan.

"We have been in close communication with our Australian counterparts this weekend."

The Ministry of Health will remain in close contact with the Australian authorities as they undertook contact tracing.

All travellers to New Zealand who become sick within a month of their arrival are encouraged to seek medical advice and contact Healthline at 0800 611 116 or a doctor and share their travel history.

It is important to mention recent travel from Wuhan and any known contact with someone with severe acute respiratory illness who has been in Wuhan.

As with all respiratory illnesses, people can take steps to reduce their risk of infection. This includes regularly washing hands, covering your mouth & nose when you sneeze, staying home if you are sick and avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.