COVID-19 outbreak in China: Reinforcement of epidemiological surveillance in Luxembourg from 9 January 2023

In view of the rapid progression of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections in China since December 2022, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs wish to inform about the reinforcement of the epidemiological surveillance applicable from January 9, 2023 until February 5, 2023 inclusive, for any travel coming from the People's Republic of China to Luxembourg.

This is done in application of the opinion of the Health Security Committee at the level of the European Union, published on 5 January 2023 ^[1], and defining a coordinated European approach, progressive in stages, and proportional to the health threat.

Any person who has stayed in China during the 14 days preceding his/her arrival on Luxembourg territory, is obliged to declare his/her presence to the Health Inspection Department (by e-mail: contact-covid@ms.etat.lu or by telephone: +352 247-65533). At random, the persons concerned will be invited to undergo a free SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA amplification test (PCR, TMA or LAMP methods). If positive, the sample is submitted to the National Health Laboratory (LNS) for sequencing and thus determination of the viral variant/sub-variant. This will allow early detection of any possible introduction of a new viral variant on the national territory.

This obligation applies to any person who has stayed in China during the 14 days preceding his/her arrival, regardless of the duration of the stay in China and in Luxembourg, and regardless of the means of transport to the Grand Duchy. However, persons employed in the transport sector are exempted in the exercise of their duties, as are passengers in transit.

This measure should be understood as complementary to any measures already in place at international airports in EU countries hosting direct commercial flights from China.

In parallel, the National Health Directorate is strengthening, together with the Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology (LIST) and the LNS, the monitoring of waste water, in particular from Luxembourg airport. This again aims at the early detection of any possible viral variant introduced by a traveller.

The recommendations issued by the National Health Directorate to travellers to and from China are available on the following website: https://covid19.public.lu/fr/voyageurs/voyager-chine.html.

^[1] Opinion of the Health Security Committee for a common EU approach in response to the COVID-19 situation in China, 5 January 2023, DG-for Health/European Commission

Press release by the Ministry of Health / Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs