PETALING JAYA: Countries around the world are imposing mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China as the republic prepares to lift travel curbs on its citizens next month.
Besides testing travellers from China for Covid-19, South Korea is also restricting short-term visas for Chinese nationals while Japan is testing travellers from China upon arrival starting Sunday as well as restricting the number of flights to and from that country.
In the United States, from Jan 5, all air passengers aged two years and older will require a negative test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau.
Taiwan also announced mandatory tests on arrival for travellers arriving from mainland China, starting next Monday.
It has also mandated that those arriving on flights from China, as well as by boat from two islands, will have to take Covid-19 tests upon arrival from Jan 1 to Jan 31, while those who test positive will be able to isolate at home.
In India, people travelling from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand must produce a negative Covid-19 test before arriving, starting Sunday.
Travellers from those countries will have to upload their test results on an Indian government website before their departure.
Italy has also ordered Covid-19 tests for travellers from China.
The Milan Malpensa Airport, which started testing passengers from Beijing and Shanghai on Dec 26, saw almost one in two passengers infected with Covid-19.
Malaysia, Australia, France and Britain have abstained from imposing mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China.
Tourism industry players expect about a million Chinese tourists to visit Malaysia.
