Hong Kong — home to the world's busiest air cargo hub — has announced tighter quarantine measures slashing the earlier exemptions granted for air cargo crew.

Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr. Edwin Tsui told a press briefing that the Hong Kong Government will tighten the quarantine measures for air cargo crew members in view of the rising trend of imported COVID-19 cases with the Omicron variant.

Tsui said the number of Covid-19 infections involving Omicron accounted for 35% of the imported cases two weeks ago and that figure rose to 95% over the past two days.

Three-day quarantine rule for air cargo crew

Noting that the new Covid-19 variant is "highly transmissible," Tsui said the risk of a community outbreak is "very high."

In line with this, the Hong Kong government has upped its quarantine rules for air cargo crew and will now require air cargo crew members to undergo compulsory quarantine at a quarantine hotel for three days upon arrival in Hong Kong.

"We have to balance between the risk of an infectious disease outbreak and the cargo operation," Tsui told the briefing, adding that the government is trying its best to work with the airlines and also the Transport & Housing Bureau.

"We implement this measure of the three-day quarantine at a hotel, trying to intercept the cases once (airlines’ cargo crew) arrive (in) Hong Kong in the first three days," Tsui said.

"Of course, we will review the strategy and we will change the strategy if there is any new information," he added.

The move comes as Hong Kong continues to impose some of the world's most stringent border control measures to prevent the Omicron from entering the city amid record cases seen globally. 

As part of this zero-Covid 19 policy, Hong Kong currently implements a compulsary 21-day hotel quarantine for both residents and non-residents. But those entering the financial hub from its "high risk list" — or countries were the Covid-19 Omicron variant has been detected — are barred from entering.