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The UK government has announced that from 04.00 (local time) on 15 August, both arrivals and returning passengers from France, the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos and Aruba will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days due to the countries being removed from the UK's travel corridor exemption list. In addition, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also advised British nationals against all but essential travel to these destinations, based on the risk currently presented due to their levels of COVID-19.

The Dubai-based airline has said that it will operate a one-off passenger flight on it's flagship Airbus A380 aircraft to Clark in the Philippines on 19 August; the special flight will help to meet the demand for flights to and from the Philippines, especially serving passengers from metro Manila and the surrounding Luzon areas and beyond.

The country's government has yesterday, 12 August, ordered travellers arriving from Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain to be tested for COVID-19, and also added Colombia to a list of countries under a complete travel ban amid growing concern over new infections. Italy had managed to bring down and contain the number of infections in recent weeks, but officials are now worried by a gradual resurgence.

The country's government has announced that it will re-impose quarantine measures on travellers from more foreign countries, and reiterated its advice that Norwegians should avoid going abroad, amid a jump in the number of new COVID-19 cases. It will now re-impose 10-day quarantines from 15 August for all travellers from Poland, Malta, Iceland, Cyprus and the Netherlands, as well as the Faroe Islands and some Danish and Swedish regions. Norway has already reintroduced similar constraints for Spain, France, Switzerland and several others.

The government of the Caribbean nation has announced that it now plans to re-open its borders to international passengers from October; all arrivals are expected to be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival, face mandatory quarantine for 14 days and then take a second test after its completion. A number of hotels are announcing re-opening plans to coincide with this updated plan.

The country's government has announced that it will lift one of the world’s longest quarantines on 17 August, moving the capital Santiago’s central business district and adjoining Central Station to a 'transitional' stage under a 'step-by-step' re-opening. Residents may leave their homes on weekdays without the previously required police permissions, and meet in small groups, while businesses can gradually re-open.

The country's government has announced that it has extended its current state of emergency until at least 11 September due to the COVID-19 outbreak, despite reporting a decline in the number of new daily infections. The country’s borders remain closed and international flights have not yet resumed; a ban on foreigners entering Armenia has though been removed, but visitors from abroad should self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

Hong Kong International Airport have announced that outbound passengers from mainland China will be able to transit through Hong Kong to other destinations from 15 August until 15 October, which will provide a boost for Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific. Transit inbound to mainland China will though remain banned at this time

The country's government has announced that it will allow events of more than 1,000 people from 1 October, provided organizers follow hygiene measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19; such events have been banned in Switzerland since 28 February, forcing many cancellations. The Swiss government have also said that face masks must now be worn by passengers on all flights; masks have thus far been mandatory on buses, trains and trams since early July.

The country's government has confirmed from 15 August the wearing of face shields on public transport will be mandatory; this includes but is not limited to trains, buses, jeepneys, taxis, boasts and ships.

This update follows a previous bulletin reporting that Macau will from today, 12 August, begin to reinstate tourist visas for the neighbouring, mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai; it has since been announced that in addition, residents from the neighbouring mainland province of Guangdong will be able to apply from 26 August, and all remaining mainland provinces will be able to follow suit from 23 September.

The government of Belgium has confirmed that face masks will be mandatory in all public places within the country's capital of Brussels from today, 12 August. The news comes as the number of COVID-19 infections rose to a government alert level that puts the city among the worst affected in Europe. Until now masks had been mandatory only in crowded public spaces and enclosed sites, such as shopping malls.

The government of Germany confirmed yesterday, 11 August, that it has extended a partial travel warning for Spain to both the capital of Madrid and the Basque region due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move was cited as a warning against any unnecessary tourist trips by German citizens to both regions because of a rising number of new COVID-19 infections; the German government had already issued travel warnings for the Spanish regions of Aragon, Catalonia and Navarra.

The government of Papua New Guinea are pressing ahead with plans to lift lockdown measures this week despite a recent sharp rise in COVID-19 infections; the country's prime minister confirmed that a two week lockdown in the capital of Port Moresby will be lifted from tomorrow, 12 August.

The government of Macau has announced that from 12 August it will begin to reinstate tourist visas for the neighbouring, mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. It is thought that the move will pave the way for a revival of visitors due to the fact that the majority of passengers arriving in Macau for gambling purposes utlilise the soon to be resumed visa category.

The government of Germany has, since 8 August, mandated that passengers entering Germany from designated high-risk countries or areas must undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing upon arrival. The country regularly updates the list of high-risk areas, and the list can be found on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.

The country’s government has said that it will introduce mandatory COVID-19 tests and quarantines for travellers from certain high-risk countries, following the arrival of a number of passengers testing positive on a flight from North Macedonia on 8 August. Subject to approval, the new measures will be enforced as soon as possible, and failure to respect the two-week quarantine would be sanctioned with up to three months in prison or a fine.

The government of China has yesterday, 10 August, that certain categories of foreign nationals who hold a valid residence permit (for work, private affairs and reunification residence permits) can now apply to any embassy or consulate in their respective countries free of charge to obtain a new visa to re-enter. The applicable countries are: Albania, Ireland, Estonia, Austria, Bulgaria, Northern Macedonia, Belgium, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Netherlands, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Romania, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Cyprus, Slovakia Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Italy & United Kingdom.

The local government of Northern Ireland have taken the decision to make it mandatory to wear a face mask in shops and other enclosed public spaces, in an effort to contain COVID-19 infection numbers which have risen three-fold since July. The Department of Health said it would be an offence to breach the law without having a "reasonable excuse", and breaches could attract a fixed penalty notice of £60 (GBP).

The country’s government has announced that from 17 August visitors from Sweden, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic will need proof they have tested negative for COVID-19 to gain entry; a negative test result obtained within 72 hours of departure must be presented. The government said the same requirement will apply to all visitors entering Greece via its land borders, including Greek citizens returning home.