The Government today said it balanced the need for people to come to Hong Kong and the control of imported COVID-19 cases when deciding to adjust the flight suspension mechanism.

At a press briefing this afternoon, Under Secretary for Food & Health Dr Chui Tak-yi pointed out that a total of 145 COVID-19 cases were recorded in the past two weeks, of which 115 were imported.

He said it is not the time for Hong Kong to let its guard down as the global pandemic situation remains severe.

"For reducing the number of imported cases, we have introduced very stringent measures in the fourth wave of the local COVID-19 epidemic progressively, including banning flights from certain countries, extending the quarantine period, and also requiring inbound travellers to stay at designated hotels.

"So with the consideration of balancing the need for people to come to Hong Kong and maintaining an intensive level of control, I think the Department of Health and the Government decided to modify this flight suspension mechanism to make sure that even though we continue to allow people to come to Hong Kong from certain high-risk countries, there is an appropriate mechanism in place to suspend such flights from coming, in case we see the threat of more imported cases from that particular location."