"COVID-19 Variant Spread Concerns"... Hong Kong Extends Quarantine for Arrivals from 2 Weeks to 3 Weeks

As COVID-19 resurges, Hong Kong has extended the self-quarantine period for overseas arrivals to three weeks. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Nana] As the COVID-19 pandemic resurges, the quarantine period for overseas arrivals entering Hong Kong will be extended to three weeks.

According to major foreign media including the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 25th, Hong Kong authorities announced strengthened quarantine measures for incoming travelers related to COVID-19 last night.

The measures take effect immediately from the 25th. However, travelers entering Hong Kong from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Macao will continue to undergo a two-week self-quarantine as before.

The authorities explained that the measure is "to ensure that even if the COVID-19 incubation period, which is typically known to be 14 days, is very rarely exceeded, not a single case slips through the net."

Since the 21st, Hong Kong authorities have banned flights from the UK, where COVID-19 variants have spread. Earlier, after confirming that two students arriving from the UK were infected with the variant, those who entered Hong Kong from the UK before the ban were required to undergo a three-week facility quarantine.

Additionally, as COVID-19 variant infections have recently occurred in South Africa, authorities have prohibited boarding Hong Kong-bound flights from anyone who has stayed in South Africa for more than two hours within the past three weeks, effective from today.

On the 24th, Hong Kong reported 71 new confirmed cases in one day, with 30 out of 61 community cases having unknown infection routes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.