Hong Kong expands list of high-risk COVID hot spots

Argentina, Italy, Japan, and four other countries are now considered high-risk.

The Hong Kong government will be implementing stricter boarding and quarantine measures from seven countries identified as high-risk places, starting 21 May, amidst continued outbreaks.

The government listed Argentine, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Singapore as high-risk Group B specified places.

"The Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation of various places, the prevalence of new virus variants, vaccination progress, and changes in the volume of cross-boundary passenger traffic, and will adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places as the situation warrants,” a government spokesman said.

Persons entering Hong Kong who have stayed in the said places within the last 14 days will have to present a negative COVID test result, conducted within the last 72 hours.

Travellers will also need to present a confirmation of a room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong.

This is on top of the “test and hold” arrangement at the airport, where they will be tested. They will then board a designated transport arrangement by the government to their hotels, upon confirmation of a negative test result.

Quarantine periods also vary according to the vaccination status of the travellers. Those who have not been vaccinated will be subject to a 21-day quarantine period; whilst those who have been fully vaccinated will undergo 14 days of quarantine

Meanwhile, non-Hong Kong residents from Group B and Group C places will be banned from entering Hong Kong.

This followed the imposition of tighter measures on travellers from Taiwan.

Read also: Hong Kong tightens health protocols for travellers from Taiwan

The City has also imposed travel ban on six countries, identified as extremely high-risk. This includes Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa.

Read also: Hong Kong imposes two-week ban on flights from Covid hot spots