Coronavirus: quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong, mainland China ‘weeks’ away, but fears over recent infections could scuttle plans
- Despite case that broke Hong Kong’s run of days without local infections, officials are weighing launch of bubble with Guangdong, sources say
- But authorities across the border remain concerned over whether Hong Kong can stay on track and achieve zero infection goal
Hong Kong’s border with mainland China could reopen for quarantine-free travel as early as next month, sources have told the Post, starting with the launch of a proposed bubble with Guangdong for businesspeople.
The city was nearing the critical milestone of a full month without any local untraceable infections until the case of a four-year-old boy whose test results caused some confusion this week. Two other Hongkongers have tested positive over the past week after travelling to the mainland.
Health authorities confirmed only one coronavirus case, brought in from overseas, on Friday, which took the city’s overall tally to 11,829, with 210 related deaths.
A mainland official with knowledge of border-reopening discussions in light of the generally improving situation in Hong Kong said a travel bubble arrangement for eligible businesspeople from the city with companies or factories in neighbouring Guangdong had been proposed as the first step for gradually easing cross-border travel restrictions.
