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Corona test (symbol photo)
Photo: DADO RUVIC / REUTERS
In view of the high number of corona infections in China, the USA is introducing new restrictions for travelers from the Asian country.
The US health authority CDC announced on Wednesday that from January 5th, air travelers coming from China to the USA would have to present a negative corona test before departure.
This applies regardless of the nationality of the travelers and their vaccination status.
The test must not be older than two days.
The test requirement is also mandatory for travelers from the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
The new rule also applies to people coming to the United States from China via a third country, as well as to passengers who want to travel to other destinations via the United States, it said.
It is about curbing the spread of the corona virus in view of the increase in Covid cases in China, since the Chinese side has not provided sufficient data.
China is currently struggling with a rapid increase in corona cases.
According to estimates, 248 million people in China contracted the virus in the first three weeks of December alone.
Scientists warn that the corona wave could produce new variants that would then find their way to other countries.
After almost three years of strict precautions, China's leadership abruptly announced an end to its controversial zero-corona policy on December 7th.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, China's strategy has been to contain the virus as best it can, fighting even the smallest outbreaks with lockdowns, mass testing and forced quarantines.
In the end, however, the measures could no longer do much against the more easily transferrable Omikron variant.
Almost all Chinese are now coming into contact with the virus for the first time.
ktz/dpa
