Hong Kong bans flights from Australia for two weeks to stop Omicron outbreak

Hong Kong has banned flights from Australia and seven other countries for two-weeks in a move to stop the Omicron outbreak from spreading.

Hong Kong has banned flights from Australia and seven other countries for two weeks in a bid to stop the Omicron outbreak from spreading.

Incoming flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain and the United States, including interchanges, will be banned from January 8 to Jan 21.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the country is “on the verge” of seeing a fifth wave of Covid-19, and more restrictions were needed.

“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,” she said.

Ms Lam said the government would also ban indoor dining after 6pm from Friday, and close swimming pools, sports centres, bars and clubs, museums, and other venues for at least two weeks.

The move comes after a new Covid-19 patient was discovered through community transmission after a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was ordered to cut short its “cruise to nowhere” and return to port.

Future cruises to the city have also been cancelled.

Hong Kong has a Covid-zero strategy with a costly quarantine process.

On New Year’s Eve, the country registered its first local case carrying the Omicron variant.

After contact tracers tried to locate every patient linked to them, one did not have any common links.

“We are worried there may be silent transmission chains in the community,” Ms Lam said.

Originally published as Hong Kong bans flights from Australia for two weeks to stop Omicron outbreak