After the global financial hub ended mandatory COVID 19 hotel quarantine for international arrivals on Monday, Hong Kong is ready for a surge in travel, with travel companies reporting 10 fold jumps in requests.
The curbs were lifted for the first time in more than 2 -- 1 2 years after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said last week that such arrivals could return home or seek accommodation of their choice, but had to self-monitor for three days on entry.
On Monday, Hong Kong reported 4,034 new COVID 19 cases and 12 more deaths related to the disease, health authorities said.
All international arrivals in the special administrative region were previously required to stay in hotel quarantine for as long as three weeks, though the period was gradually reduced to three days.
International arrivals are not allowed in bars and restaurants for three days because of the new rules. They still have to do multiple COVID tests in the first week after arriving, even though they are allowed to go to work and school.
For the next few months, Hong Kong's Travel Industry Council expects outbound travel to surge as much as 50 percent, executive director Fanny Yeung told public broadcaster RTHK.
Residents at the city's airport were thrilled by Monday's easing.
It's now totally hassle-free, so I came out within 30 minutes," said businessman Marjuk Mutahlif, 32. READ MORE: HK logs 8,278 new COVID 19 cases, 16 more deaths in COVID 19 cases.
The Centre for Health Protection said on Monday that 3,846 local infections and 188 imported infections were included in a statement issued by the Centre for Health Protection. The city's death brought the city's death toll to 9,915.
A CHP spokesman said that the vaccines are effective in preventing serious complications and even deaths if people get infected.
He also stressed the importance of complying with social distancing rules, including not taking part in unnecessary or crowded activities, in order to prevent the spread of the disease in the community.
In a separate statement, the Hospital Authority said there were 2,039 COVID patients receiving treatment in hospitals, including 161 new admissions.
The HA said 41 COVID 19 patients were in critical condition. 15 of them were in intensive care and 43 in serious condition.