Spain extends entry ban on travellers from UK

Madrid keeps ban on those coming from Britain for another fortnight

Passengers wait for news about their flights at Adolfo Suarez Barajas airport, which is suspending flights due to heavy snowfall in Madrid, Spain, January 9. Reuters

Spain on Tuesday extended for two weeks a ban on people entering from the UK by air or sea, because of concerns of the new strain of coronavirus detected there.

The entry restriction, which does not apply to Spanish citizens and those with legal residency in Spain, will stay in effect until February 2, Madrid said.

Like most European nations, Spain imposed the entry restrictions on December 22 after the discovery in Britain of a new strain of coronavirus thought to be more contagious.

The restriction, initially put in place for two weeks, was already renewed once for a similar period.

The government said it decided to extend it again because of "some uncertainties over the reach of the new strain".

"The epidemiological situation in the United Kingdom has progressively worsened," it said.

At the same time, in Spain there has been an increase in cases "linked to the new strain", the government said.

Discovery of the new strain set off alarm bells worldwide. It appears to spread more easily than other types but experts say there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines.

About 70 cases of the variant were detected in Spain, latest Health Ministry figures show.