Thailand has banned flights from India, Australia, Canada, France, Pakistan, the Philippines, UK and US from midnight on January 7
Hong Kong has announced strict new anti-coronavirus controls on Wednesday, reported AFP. It has banned flights from India, Australia, Canada, France, Pakistan, the Philippines, UK and US from midnight on January 7, for the next two weeks. In addition, Hong Kong has decided to stop bars and gyms and cancelled evening restaurant dining after the Omicron variant was detected within the city. The restrictions were the latest economic blow to an international business hub pursuing a zero-Covid strategy that has kept cases low but left residents cut off from the rest of the world.
“We have cases that have their sources identified but not the route of transmission. Passenger flights from these countries will not be allowed to land in Hong Kong and individuals who have stayed in those countries are not allowed to board flights to Hong Kong, including transit flights.”
Carrie Lam, Chief executive
Like mainland China, Hong Kong has some of the world’s toughest measures throughout the pandemic – including virtually closed borders, weeks-long quarantines, targeted lockdowns and mass testing. The city recorded 114 Omicron cases as of Tuesday evening, with the vast majority identified at the airport or during the 21-day hotel quarantine that is mandatory for most arrivals.
Chief executive Carrie Lam said: “We have cases that have their sources identified but not the route of transmission. Passenger flights from these countries will not be allowed to land in Hong Kong and individuals who have stayed in those countries are not allowed to board flights to Hong Kong, including transit flights.”
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