New Zealander’s 60-hour Hunger Strike Wins Him Release From COVID-19 Quarantine

General view of the Sudima Hotel which is currently being used to isolate returning New Zealanders in Rotorua, New Zealand, on Aug.12, 2020. (Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

New Zealand ex-pat Kurt Lehndorf, who resides in Australia, has won release from quarantine after enduring a 60-hour hunger strike to see his dying father.

The saga with Lehndorf began five days ago when he arrived in New Zealand from Brisbane, Australia, where he was then placed under managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ).

The man hoped to see his dying father, who has terminal acute myeloid leukaemia and was located 30 kilometres north of the MIQ facility at the Sudima Auckland Airport hotel.

Lehndorf had applied to quarantine at his father’s property so he could be with him during his final moments.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which manages the MIQ system, revealed to Stuff media that Lehndorf was granted a temporary visit to see his father before being required to return to MIQ.

However, Lehndorf claimed he never received the confirmation and that the Ministry was still processing his application despite extensive paperwork already being handed over, according to Newshub.

He decided to roll the dice and go on hunger strike on Feb. 4 after hearing that his father’s condition had worsened to compel authorities to act faster.

By 8 a.m. on Feb. 6, Lehndorf had reached the 61-hour mark of his strike and admitted he was feeling dizzy with headache, nausea, and could not get out of bed.

By 11.20 a.m. on Feb. 7, authorities relented, and Lehndorf signed an agreement that allowed him to return home and self-isolate with his father and family.

Stuff media has reportedly seen the “compliance agreement for early release from managed isolation” that Lehndorf signed.

“We won,” he said, admitting that without media coverage and pressure, he would not have been released.

Lehndorf concedes that the exact time of his release is still to be decided, he told Stuff.

“At least I get to see [my father],” he said.

In a statement to The Epoch Times, the MIQ said, “This morning Mr. Lehndorf’s exemption from managed isolation application was approved, and he is now able to self-isolate in the community—we are pleased this means he will be able to spend time with his father at this difficult time.”

The MIQ noted that Lehndorf returned a negative COVID-19 test, which clears the way for his return home.

Lehndorf last saw his father in July 2021 but could not return due to the outbreak of Delta and subsequent government moves to shut the border.

Lehndorf is double vaccinated, has returned negative test results prior to his flight and upon arrival, and has had COVID-19 previously.

New Zealand has maintained some of the toughest international border restrictions over the past two years, which forced national carrier Air New Zealand to recently suspend flights to-and-from Australia over the December period.

In early February, the New Zealand government unveiled a phased reopening plan of its international borders for vaccinated travellers.