Hong Kong: Restrictive measures due to rising cases – Arrivals of flights from 8 countries banned

The Hong Kong government has announced that it is banning arrivals from its territory from eight countries in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus Omicron strain and reintroduce new restrictive measures as the global financial center is on the brink of a new wave of outbreaks. -19.

The countries covered by the arrival ban are France, Canada, Britain, the United States, India, Pakistan, Australia and the Philippines. The measures are valid from January 8 for two weeks.

“Flights from these countries will not be allowed to land in Hong Kong and those who remain on them will not be allowed to board flights to Hong Kong, including responses,” said the Hong Kong Prime Minister. , Carrie Lam.

At the same time, Lam announced a series of measures to reduce covid-19, as, as he explained, the increase in cases is large and puts pressure on public hospitals.

“We have not seen the fifth wave yet, but we are on the verge of it,” he said. “We are concerned that there may be silent transmission chains in the community,” he said, adding that “some confirmed cases had many activities before they realized they were infected.”

Among the new measures is the cancellation of all major events from January 7 to 20, while from Friday they will suspend their operation – among others – gyms, bars, nightclubs, karaoke bars, beauty salons. Moreover, at 18:00 the interiors of the restaurants will be closed, while the number of people allowed at each table will be reduced.

For the benefit of the children, the Hong Kong government will not suspend the operation of the schools for the time being, Lam said.

Meanwhile, a ship carrying a “cruise to nowhere” off Hong Kong with 3,700 passengers was forced to return to port after locating nine case contacts of a foci of the coronavirus Omicron strain, authorities said.

The “Spectrum of Seas” had departed from Hong Kong on Sunday and was scheduled to return tomorrow, Thursday, after cruising in international waters.

These “cruises to nowhere” started during the pandemic so that Hong Kong residents can travel without having to be quarantined for two or three weeks once they return, as is the case for those returning from abroad.

Hong Kong health authorities have asked Royal Carribean’s ship to return a day earlier than planned, after nine passengers were found to have been in contact with an Omicron case.

The approximately 2,500 passengers and 1,200 crew members will not be able to disembark from the ship unless they have a negative covid-19 test.

“We have to wear electronic bracelets to record our movements on the ship,” one passenger said by telephone. “When we closed this voyage, we knew there was a risk. “It was an accident that happened to us,” he added.

Hong Kong follows a “zero covid-19” policy that requires anyone entering its territory to be quarantined for a period of time, as should covid-19 patients and their contacts.

Thanks to this strategy, the city of 7.5 million people has recorded just over 12,000 cases of covid-19 and only 213 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, but at the cost of the international isolation that has cost the world financial center so much.

For three months and until December 31, no new cases had been detected in the Hong Kong community. It was then that the first domestic infection from the Omicron strain was recorded. So far, 114 Omicron cases have been detected in Hong Kong, most of them in travelers who were tested upon arrival or during quarantine.

However, authorities are on alert after locating a small Omicron home in a restaurant a few days ago, prompting them to launch massive test and tracking campaigns.

SOURCE: AMPE