Hong Kong to suspend flights from COVID-hit India from tomorrow

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will suspend flights from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines for two weeks starting from April 20 after the N501Y mutant COVID-19 strain was discovered for the first time in the Asian financial hub.

After multiple imported cases carrying the strain into Hong Kong in the last 14 days, the three countries will be listed as "highly high risk," according to the sources.

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On Sunday, the city confirmed 30 new coronavirus cases, 29 of which were imported, bringing the daily total to 30 for the first time since March 15. In total, there have been over 11,600 cases in Hong Kong, with 209 deaths.

Authorities in Hong Kong have been encouraging people to get coronavirus vaccines, but only about 9% of Hong Kong's 7.5 million residents have been vaccinated so far.

The city's vaccine programme was expanded last week to include those aged 16 to 29 years old for the first time, in an effort to increase low demand for vaccinations among residents.

Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, Vistara, and Cebu Pacific are among the airlines affected by Hong Kong's ban on passengers from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

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