Health Minister adds mainland Portugal, Gibraltar, French Polynesia and Greek islands to quarantine list

The Health Minister Vaughan Gething has issued an update late this afternoon adding a range of new places to the quarantine list.

The update to the The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Amendments means travellers entering the UK from overseas must self-isolate for 14 days, to prevent the further spread of coronavirus. The list of countries affected by the rules has been under constant review with places added and removed from the list as situations change during the pandemic.

Mr Gething said this afternoon, “I have considered the clear advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) report that travel from the following countries and territories constitutes a public health risk. I have decided to remove mainland Portugal (the Azores and Madeira will remain exempt), Gibraltar, French Polynesia and the Greek islands of Mykonos, Zakynthos, Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos and Crete from the list of exempt countries and territories.”

The move will come into force at 4am tomorrow morning.

Mr Gething added, “This action is being taken as a result of a large number of cases of coronavirus have been imported into Wales from tourists returning from the Greek islands, in particular. In the last week, there have been more than 20 cases confirmed in passengers on one flight from Zante to Cardiff.”