Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Stranded transit passenger confirmed as Hong Kong's fourth Omicron case

Stranded transit passenger confirmed as Hong Kong's fourth Omicron case

A transit passenger who was stranded in the Hong Kong International Airport due to visa issues was confirmed as Hong Kong's fourth imported Omicron case on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old man arrived at Hong Kong on November 24, on Qatar Airways flight QR818 from Nigeria via Qatar.

Health authorities said he remained in the airside of the restricted area due to a visa-related issue and tested positive in a pre-departure test on November 27 at the restricted area in Hong Kong International Airport.

The patient had not received any Covid-19 vaccination and had been asymptomatic.

The center also reported three imported cases from Pakistan, Spain and the Philippines. One of them carried the L452R mutant strain likely to be the Delta variant and genetic sequencing of the two others are pending.

So far, two of Hong Kong's Omicron cases came from South Africa and two from Nigeria.

They included a 37-year-old man who returned to Hong Kong on November 24 from Nigeria via Ethiopia and Thailand and tested positive during his quarantine at Ramada North Point hotel.

The other two were a 62-year-old man flying into Hong Kong from Canada and a 36-year-old man from South Africa. They arrived in Hong Kong on November 10 and 11, respectively.

Health officials in Hong Kong previously stated that the 62-year-old contracted the virus from the 36-year-old staying on the same floor as him at the Regal Airport Hotel.

Both guests were under compulsory quarantine after arriving from abroad and stayed in rooms that were located opposite one another. The identical genetic sequences of the two samples suggested the cases were epidemiologically linked, officials said.

In view of the new variant Omicron, Hong Kong has imposed tighter restrictions on those who return from countries with Omicron outbreaks.

Currently, Hong Kong has banned non-residents from entering the city from 21 countries with Omicron cases detected.

They include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zambia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, and Italy.

The government will also add Japan, Portugal, and Sweden to the list starting Friday.

Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these places within 21 days are not allowed to enter Hong Kong.

As for fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents returning to the city, they will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels for 21 days, along with regular Covid tests.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×