Countries Impose New Travel Curbs As COVID-19 Cases Rise Again

Countries Impose New Travel Curbs As COVID-19 Cases Rise Again

Nations in Asia imposed new restrictions on Monday, while an abrupt British quarantine on travellers from Spain threw Europe's vaunted summer reopening into disarray, as the world confronted the prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

 

In the United States, where infection rates have climbed since June, President Donald Trump's national security adviser Robert O'Brien became the most senior official to test positive. The White House said Trump had not interacted with him in days and was not at risk.

Surges were reported in a number of countries previously singled out as places where the virus was under control; said Reuters.

Australia recorded a record daily rise.

Vietnam locked down the city of Danang, forcing tens of thousands of visitors to evacuate.

Mainland China confirmed the most locally transmitted cases since early March. Papua New Guinea shut its borders.

Hong Kong banned gatherings of more than two people, closed down restaurant dining and made face masks mandatory in public.

A surge in infections in Spain prompted Britain to order all travellers from there to quarantine for two weeks, at a stroke undoing months of preparation for Europe's reopening to tourism.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said travel restrictions could not be the answer for the long term,