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Italy joined the Netherlands and Belgium in banning air travel from the UK due to fears over the new strain of coronavirus.
The move comes after Dutch health authorities confirmed at least one case of the same variant that has led London and much of south-east England to go back to blocking rules.
Flights from the UK to the Netherlands have been halted, a move Belgium has mirrored at the same time as it halted rail connections.
Italy announced its measures shortly after noon Sunday, but it is not known how long they will be in effect.
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The Dutch measures are expected to last until at least the new year.
Germany is also understood to be considering taking action, and a German government official told the dpa news agency that restrictions on flights from Britain are a “serious option.”
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Sunday he was issuing the order for 24 hours starting at midnight “as a precaution” and that he hoped to have more clarity on Tuesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it was in “close contact” with the UK about the new mutation of the virus, and both have shared information and analysis results on the new outbreak.
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said the UK had informed the international health care body of the development after modeling showed rapid spread of the new variant in south-east England.
WHO’s Maria Van Kerkhove said earlier this week that the strain bore similarities to a variant initially discovered in mink in Europe.
A new report released by the organization has called for “enhanced” surveillance around the world in light of recent developments.
The Dutch Health Ministry said the case had been identified in early December and is under investigation.
In the meantime, he said that “any introduction of this strain of virus from the UK should be limited as much as possible by limiting or controlling passenger movements from the UK as much as possible.”
The air traffic ban for UK passengers started at 6 a.m. today and will run until January 1 at the latest.
The Dutch government said: “The cabinet is closely monitoring developments of the COVID-19 virus abroad and is investigating the possibilities for additional measures for other modes of transport.”
“In the coming days, in close cooperation with other EU member states, it will look into the possibilities of further restricting imports of the virus from the UK.”
The new coronavirus strain, known as VUI-202012/01, is believed to spread more rapidly than the original strain and is believed to be the reason for the rapid increase in infection rates in London and the South East.
Boris Johnson warned Saturday that the new strain could be “up to 70% more transmissible.”
“While we are fairly confident that the variant spreads more rapidly, there is no evidence to suggest that it is more lethal or causes a more serious illness,” the prime minister said.
“Likewise, there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine will be less effective against the new variant.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, said the new variant is believed to have emerged in the UK in mid-September.
In December, it was responsible for more than 60% of infections in London, he said.
Johnson announced that millions of people in London and many parts of the South East will not be able to mingle with other homes on Christmas like now. under a new level of Level 4 restrictions.
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