The Government today announced that it will extend the entry restriction on non-Hong Kong residents and quarantine and airport transit measures until further notice, in light of the COVID-19 infection.

The measures took effect at midnight on March 25 and were set to be implemented tentatively for 14 days, ending April 7.

All non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane will be denied entry to Hong Kong; while non-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macau and Taiwan will be denied entry if they have been to any overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days.

In addition, all transit services at Hong Kong International Airport will be suspended; and all travellers coming from Macau and Taiwan, including Hong Kong and non-Hong Kong residents, will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine, which is the same as the arrangements for people arriving from the Mainland.

At present, the COVID-19 pandemic remains severe around the globe. As of this morning, the number of cases reported globally had exceeded 1.18 million.

In Hong Kong, the number of cases as at 4pm today had reached 915, including one probable case, more than double the number of cases reported a fortnight ago. Over the past two weeks, around 75% of the confirmed cases either had a travel history during the incubation period or were close contacts.

In view of the latest situation, the Government has decided to extend the above-mentioned entry restriction and airport transit service suspension until further notice.

The exemptions granted to a small number of people in implementing the entry restriction measures remain applicable.

On April 5, there were only 813 passenger arrivals via the airport, a drop of nearly 82% compared with March 24, before the measures were in place. Among them, only seven arrivals were non-Hong Kong residents.