UK Bans Travel From Denmark Over New Coronavirus Strain Among Minks, Transport Secretary Says

LONDON (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom has prohibited entry into the country from Denmark starting Saturday following an outbreak of a new coronavirus strain at Danish mink farms, Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps has said.

"The [UK Home Office] is also announcing that from 0400, Saturday 7th November, visitors arriving into the UK from Denmark will not be permitted entry into the UK. This means all non-British national or resident travellers who have been in or transited through Denmark in the last 14 days will be denied entry by Border Force upon arrival", Shapps tweeted.

Thorbjorn Jepsen holds up a mink at his farm, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Gjoel, Denmark October 9, 2020

© REUTERS / RITZAU SCANPIX

Earlier in the week, Denmark decided to cull all its mink population after a mutated strain of the novel coronavirus was found in these animals. The new strain, which can be transmitted to humans, causes weak antibody production potentially undermining the global efforts to develop a vaccine. Some 214 people in northern Denmark were reported to carry the mutation of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the UK citizens and residents will have to self-quarantine for two weeks along with their family members upon returning from Denmark.

On Thursday, the country's government imposed a four-week lockdown for England to counter a spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths.