Though exempted from quarantining, consular and diplomatic officers arriving in Hong Kong will face stricter testing and isolation arrangements starting November 18, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said late on Tuesday.

Based on prevention and risk assessments, the HKSAR government said it decided to comprehensively tighten epidemic control measures for inbound travelers.

The latest move targets travelers who are exempted from quarantine arrangements upon arriving in Hong Kong, particularly those who have visited high-risk COVID-19 areas in other parts of the world.

The government also noted that consular and diplomatic officers must possess negative test results for COVID-19 within 48 hours prior to boarding a flight to Hong Kong. 

As of Wednesday morning, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 5,470 COVID-19 cases and 108 deaths, official data showed.

Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel outside the region due to the continuous increase in virus cases around the world.