The Dutch and the Belgian government have banned all passenger flights from Britain after authorities found the first case of a new, more infectious coronavirus strain circulating in the United Kingdom.
The Dutch government’s travel ban came into force at 6 am local time on Sunday, and this ban will remain in place until January 1. In a statement, the Dutch health ministry said:
“An infectious mutation of the COVID-19 virus is circulating in the United Kingdom. It is said to spread more easily and faster and is more difficult to detect.”
Similarly, air travel between Belgium & the UK will be prohibited from tonight for a minimum 24-hour period, and there will be strict checks along the border.
Besides, the Belgian government also confirmed that it is in talks with the French Government about people who came from the UK to Belgium via France.
In a statement the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said:
“Over the next few days, together with other EU member states, [the government] will explore the scope for further limiting the risk of the new strain of the virus being brought over from the UK.”