Portugal to require negative COVID test from China air travellers

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal will require air travellers from China to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test done no more than two days before departure, the health ministry said on Friday, following other nations that have implemented such restrictions.

The requirements take effect at 12 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Sunday and "airlines are responsible for complying with the measure on boarding," it said in a statement.

It said that passengers on flights from China could be subject to random testing on Saturday "for genomic sequencing of the variants in circulation, in order to contribute to an adequate assessment of the epidemiological situation".

Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China as COVID-19 cases there have been surging following relaxation of "zero-COVID" rules. China has rejected criticism of its COVID data.

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Sandra Maler)