HK looking to resolve airline ban problem that has isolated city

HONG KONG • Hong Kong is looking to resolve a problem over a ban on airlines that bring in Covid-19-positive passengers, as it eases travel curbs that have sealed off the city for two years, its leader said yesterday.

The government said this week a ban on flights from nine countries - Canada, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Britain, the United States, France, Australia and the Philippines - would be lifted on April 1, but it was not clear if airlines would face a two-week ban if they bring in infected people, as is currently the case.

Many residents have not been able to return to the Chinese territory because of a shortage of mandatory quarantine hotels, and city leader Carrie Lam suggested in a media briefing that more space would be provided.

But an equally pressing issue for many has been the rule that bans an airline from flying to the city for 14 days if it carries several people who test positive for the coronavirus upon arrival.

The city's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, said on Tuesday it would operate only one flight every two weeks from popular destinations, including the United States and Britain, because of the rule, compounding a feeling of isolation that many frustrated residents feel.

Asked what the government might do about the rule and if there was any chance it could be scrapped, Mrs Lam said: "I can only say that we know the problem, and we are looking at how we could resolve this without compromising our border control measures."

Health authorities reported 12,240 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, down from 14,152 the previous day, and 205 new deaths.

Hong Kong's "dynamic zero" coronavirus strategy, which aims to stamp out outbreaks as they occur with contact tracing, testing and isolation, largely protected it from the virus until the beginning of this year.

Densely populated Hong Kong has registered the most deaths per million people globally in recent weeks. It has resumed sending compulsory testing notices (CTNs) after a drop in daily infections freed up lab capacity, allowing the authorities to revive the elaborate tracking and isolation system that has underpinned its Covid-zero strategy.

The government issued notices for 10 premises on Tuesday, the first since the programme was put on hold in late February as surging cases overwhelmed the city's testing and tracking capacity.

Alerts are sent via the LeaveHomeSafe app - mandatory for entry to restaurants and other public venues - though health officials said they will initially target high-risk buildings where many infections are found, such as residential premises.

The resumption of CTNs is a step back towards the strict Covid-zero strategy, which Hong Kong was forced to pivot away from in recent months as the arrival of Omicron threw its health system into disarray.

REUTERS, BLOOMBERG