Omicron scare: Hong Kong bans inbound flights from eight countries including India

Incoming flights from India, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, France, Philippines, Britain and the United States have been banned from January 8.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong announced a two-week ban on incoming flights from eight countries on Wednesday and tightened local COVID-19 restrictions as authorities feared a fifth wave of coronavirus in the city.

The latest restrictions were announced as health authorities scoured the city for the contacts of a COVID-19 patient, some of whom had been aboard a Royal Caribbean ship that was ordered to cut short its "cruise to nowhere" and return to port.

Incoming flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Britain and the United States, including interchanges, would be banned from Jan.8 to Jan 21, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam told reporters on Wednesday.