The city also bans the landing of Cathay Pacific flights from New York from December 20 to January 2, 2022, after three passengers on a Sunday flight were confirmed with Covid-19 upon arrival.

The Omicron variant was detected in five imported cases reported over the weekend, involving four women and a man aged between 26 to 77. They arrived from Italy, the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

The addition of the five cases took the total number of Omicron cases in Hong Kong to 19.

On the other hand, seven imported cases were reported on Monday, with five carrying the N501Y mutant strain – an indicator that they could be infected with the Omicron variant.

They were:

- a 22-year-old man who triggered compulsory testings. He departed Hong Kong on December 7 for Poland. He returned last Saturday from Poland and Germany by flight QR818 via Qatar and tested positive upon arrival;

- a 28-year-old woman who arrived in Hong Kong from the UK via flight VS206 last Saturday and tested positive upon arrival;

- a 22-year-old man arrived from the UK via flight CX216 last Saturday and tested positive upon arrival;

- a 68-year-old man arrived in Hong Kong from the United State by flight JL735 via Japan last Friday and tested positive at Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre.

An 18-year-old woman and a 78-year-old man, both arriving from the US via flight CX845 on Sunday, tested positive upon arrival. The woman carried the N501Y mutant strain, while the 78-year-old carried the L452R mutant strain.

The remaining case was 33-year-old man who traveled from the UK via flight VS206 last Thursday tested positive at Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui.