European countries are concerned about the new variant of the COVID-19 virus, and are concerned about the recent spike in cases of infection with the Delta variant virus in the UK. Italy and Belgium announced that they will resume quarantine measures for inbound passengers from the UK.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Delta variant virus strain, which first appeared in India, has become the main virus strain in the global COVID-19 disease epidemic, and its infectivity is 60% higher than that of the Alpha mutant virus first discovered in the United Kingdom.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on June 15 that due to the significant increase in the diagnosis rate of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the date of unblocking the epidemic has been postponed by one month. German Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron called on EU countries to coordinate their border reopening policies to prevent new mutant viruses.
The Italian Minister of Health Roberto Speranza announced on June 18 that due to the recent surge in the number of new infections in the UK, Italy has resumed isolation requirements for passengers arriving from the UK.
On the same day, Belgium also announced that passengers returning from the UK must be isolated. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said that Belgium must be protected from the evolution of the mutated virus and control the spread of the possible outbreak. European fear of variant virus, Italy and Belgium resume UK entry quarantine
