Coronavirus: China orders inbound travellers from several countries to quarantine for 14 days before departure
- China’s embassies in at least seven countries announce new restrictions on incomers
- China only started easing entry requirements in September and the new rules are the strictest yet
Beijing has tightened its travel restrictions by ordering passengers from certain countries travelling to China to spend two weeks in quarantine before boarding flights.
There has been no official announcement from the foreign ministry, but embassies in at least seven countries have told travellers they must spend 14 days in quarantine before travelling to China.
The embassies in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Algeria have said all travellers must undergo the process, while the missions in Kazakhstan, Sudan, Egypt and Pakistan said the restrictions would apply to Chinese citizens.
Passengers have also been warned they must take direct flights to get the health code they need to enter the country, and if there are no direct flights must only make one connection en route.
The new restrictions announced this week are the strictest yet. Previously, travellers to China were required to present a negative test result for coronavirus and antibodies.
It is unclear whether such requirements apply to all nationalities. China started easing entry restrictions for visa holders in September, but closed its borders to travellers from countries such as Britain, Belgium, Italy and India in November.
