The Dubai-born golfer will next compete for a coveted PGA Tour card at next month's Final Stage in Florida
sports2 hours ago
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday it was not the time to lift a ban on flights from nine countries including the United States and Britain, with plans to reopen the city only after the government controls a deepening coronavirus outbreak.
The global financial hub has some of the most draconian restrictions in place to combat a surge in coronavirus cases that has seen the city suffer the most deaths globally per million people in the week to March 7, according to the Our World in Data publication.
Total infections have surged to about 600,000, including more than 2,800 deaths - most in the past two weeks.
The Chinese territory has had its borders effectively sealed since 2020 with few flights able to land and passengers banned from transitting.
"This is not the time to lift the ban. A lot of people will rush to come back...there will be infected cases and that will add a lot of pressure to our public hospital system," Lam said.
Her comments come a day after she announced a shift in her government's approach to tackling the coronavirus, devoting more medical resources to elderly people as infections and deaths climb rapidly amongst the city's mainly unvaccinated seniors.
Hong Kong's government had previously focused its resources on identifying, treating and isolating all cases, even those that are asymptomatic and mild, adding pressure on its hospitals and healthcare system.
Until recently, the government said it was focusing its efforts on carrying out compulsory mass testing for Hong Kong's 7.4 million residents sometime this month.
Contradictory messages from authorities over the scheme and plans for a city-wide lockdown have sparked panic buying by residents, who have been emptying supermarket shelves for over 11 days.
There was now no time frame for the testing, Lam said on Wednesday.
The change in approach came after a top Chinese official said that Hong Kong had to prioritise reducing infections, severe illnesses and deaths.
Hong Kong, like mainland China, has adopted a "dynamic zero" strategy that seeks to curb infections with strict mitigation measures. The approach has been severely tested by the fast spreading Omicron variant.
China has seen a rise of locally transmitted coronavirus infections reporting 402 for March 9, nearly doubling from the daily count a day earlier.
The Dubai-born golfer will next compete for a coveted PGA Tour card at next month's Final Stage in Florida
sports2 hours ago
'These modern features are designed to improve traffic and security operations, elevate fieldwork quality, ensure high responsiveness', a top official said
transport2 hours ago
The night market is located near major hotels in Deira, and visitors can also enjoy free entertainment from different Filipino singers and comedians
uae3 hours ago
It will be humid by night and Sunday morning with a probability of fog or mist formation over some internal areas
weather3 hours ago
The Dubai Maritime Authority is responsible for issuing licences related to all marine activities in the emirate
life and living5 hours ago
Both researchers underscored the importance of mentorship and representation for aspiring female scientists in the region
uae5 hours ago
'Prolonged exposure to traffic stress can increase cortisol and other stress hormones, leading to anxiety, depression, headaches, and even heart disease,' a clinical psychologist warned
transport5 hours ago
Stricter requirements were put in place to prevent potential misuse of visit visas and ensure that applicants can sustain themselves during their stay
uae5 hours ago