Coronavirus outbreak: Virus evacuees arrive on Christmas Island

36 Australian nationals who were evacuated from virus-stricken central Chinese city of Wuhan arrived on Australia's remote Christmas Island detention center Thursday.

three dozen evacuees arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday and were immediately transferred to Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Parliament that re's an intention for ar charter flight to evacuate more Australians from Wuhan.

Australia has been criticized over its decision to quarantine nearly 300 Wuhan evacuees on remote island used in past to banish asylum seekers and convicts.

Critics say a quarantine center on Australian mainland would be preferable to Christmas Island.

Some inhabitants of island say government is turning ir home into a "leper colony."

government argues that location strikes a balance between supporting Australians stranded in China and protecting wider Australian population from disease.

People on Australian mainland who might have caught virus are t placed in quarantine, but are vised to self-isolate for 14 days, which scientists say is longest incubation period of virus.

Starting this month, Australia has banned foreigners without permanent residency from entering country if y h visited mainland China in previous 14 days.

China's national women's soccer team has been quarantined at a Brisbane hotel since arriving last week.