The government has ruled out Queenstown and Invercargill as locations for managed isolation facilities.

Speaking to media a short time ago, the minister responsible for managed isolation facilities and quarantine, Megan Woods, confirmed after visits to those towns yesterday it has been decided they are inappropriate for isolation facilities.

Woods says they are still assessing whether New Zealanders returning from overseas can complete their two-weeks managed isolation in Dunedin.

The Minister and Air Commodore Darryn Webb have been visiting Dunedin today.

The Southern District Health Board had made it clear it would prefer if Queenstown wasn't used for quarantine facilities.

Plans for solating people in Queenstown needed to be bulletproof if they were going to be backed, Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult had said.

There are managed isolation facilities in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch.