Leader Carrie Lam says the travel ban, which also affects Britain, the United States, Canada, Pakistan, Philippines, France and India, will start on Saturday and stay in place for two weeks.
Hong Kong will ban flights from eight countries, including Australia, from Saturday as part of new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the global financial hub.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said flights from Australia, Britain, the United States, Canada, Pakistan, Philippines, France and India would be banned for two weeks from January 8. "Passenger flights from these countries will not be allowed to land in Hong Kong and individuals who have stayed in those countries are not allowed to board flights to Hong Kong, including transit flights," Ms Lam told reporters.
Ms Lam was speaking as Hong Kong authorities launched a city-wide search for the contacts of a COVID-19 patient and ordered a Royal Caribbean "cruise to nowhere" ship to return to port early, as health officials feared a fifth wave of infections.