Hong Kong comprehensively tighten quarantine exemption arrangements

The Hong Kong authorities on Monday announced that the quarantine exemption arrangements will be comprehensively tightened with effect from November 12.

Nine out of 12 types of exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine for people entering Hong Kong will be cancelled on November 12, a top government official announced on Monday, giving details of the move announced last week, Xinhua reported.

More premises may require to use of the government's contact-tracing LeaveHomeSafe app, a coronavirus expert said separately, as five were arrested for allegedly using a fake version of the app as they entered a government office tower on Monday.

On the other hand, consuls general or representatives in Hong Kong at equivalent/higher level must be subject to self-isolation at the accommodation and are not allowed to leave the self-isolation location as well as come into contact with the public throughout the specified period.

"The new measures will strengthen the prevention of importation of cases and tackle the threat posed by mutant strains by further minimising the chance of transmission of the virus from imported cases into the community so as to foster favourable conditions for resuming cross-boundary travel with the mainland and cross-border travel in the future," a government spokesperson said.

The HKSAR government also announced to strengthen monitoring on exempted persons.

"Any breach of exemption conditions will result in revocation of the exemption status and the relevant persons will be transferred to the quarantine centers for compulsory quarantine," the spokesperson added.

(ANI)