Italy, San Marino and Vatican City removed from government travel corridor list

15 October 2020, 17:07 | Updated: 15 October 2020, 17:39

Italy, San Marino and Vatican City State have been removed from the Government's safe-travel list.

This means anyone returning to the UK from those countries after 4am on Sunday will have to self-isolate for two weeks.

Crete has also been removed from the list of places with restrictions in England, meaning people arriving from the Greek island will no longer have to isolate.

The Department for Transport said the risk to public health from those returning from there "has decreased to an acceptable level".

Last week, no countries were added to the quarantine list, amid a spike in UK cases.

Poland, Turkey and the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba were among the most recent places added to the quarantine list.

Italy recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with 7,332.

The latest number of people in intensive care with coronavirus in Italy is 586 and there have been another 83 COVID-related deaths, jumping from 43 yesterday.

This brings its seven-day rate of cases per 100,000 people to 64.

At the peak of the virus, Italy experienced more than 900 fatalities a day.

The UK's case rate currently stands at 166.

The removal of Italy's exemption is a further blow to the UK's travel industry, as it was one of its last big markets without a quarantine requirement for returning holidaymakers.

Last week Italy introduced compulsory coronavirus testing for arriving UK visitors.

Arrivals from European countries such as the UK, France and Spain must provide evidence of a negative test taken in the 72 hours prior to travel.

Visitors unable to provide proof of a negative result at the border have to take a test in Italy.

On Wednesday, Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel trade organisation Abta, expressed fears that more travel firms could go bust in just weeks due to the pandemic.

He said at least 20 travel companies with UK operations have already collapsed since March.