Belgium added to high-risk list

October 27, 2020

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan：
In view of the severe COVID-19 epidemic situation worldwide, we cannot afford to drop our guard. Therefore, among the measures the Government will be gazetting later today (are) the specifications to include Belgium as a specified place under Cap 599H, with effect from November 3, with regard to the latest public health risk assessment.

Of course, the Government will continue to monitor other countries and the situation very closely, including the development of the epidemic situation not only globally, but also locally, and review our various epidemic control measures from time to time.

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government announced that it will gazette the latest specifications today to impose conditions on travellers who visited Belgium within 14 days before arriving in Hong Kong to reduce the health risk they may bring to the city.

Unveiling the latest anti-epidemic measures this afternoon, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said Hong Kong will remain vigilant in its fight against COVID-19.

“In view of the severe COVID-19 epidemic situation worldwide, we cannot afford to drop our guard.

“Therefore, among the measures the Government will be gazetting later today are the specifications to include Belgium as a specified place under Cap 599H, with effect from November 3, with regard to the latest public health risk assessment.”

The Government had earlier introduced the Prevention & Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances & Travellers) Regulation to impose testing and quarantine conditions on travellers coming to Hong Kong from very high-risk places.

The Secretary for Food & Health previously published in the gazette specifications on the relevant measures applicable to Bangladesh, Ethiopia, France, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, the UK and the US.

New specifications will be gazetted to maintain the conditions imposed and include Belgium as a specified place with effect from November 3.

Travellers who have stayed in the specified places 14 days before arriving in Hong Kong must provide documents showing they tested negative for COVID-19 and their reservation for a hotel in Hong Kong.

Prof Chan explained that the Government is closely scrutinising the pandemic and should the circumstances change, it will adjust anti-epidemic measures accordingly.

“The Government will continue to monitor other countries and the situation very closely, including the development of the epidemic situation not only globally, but also locally, and review our various epidemic control measures from time to time.”

Any traveller coming to Hong Kong who fails to comply with the requirement to provide information is liable to a fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for six months.