Travellers from Denmark to quarantine due to new virus strain

Travellers returning from Denmark will have to quarantine for 14 days after the country confirmed a new strain of coronavirus from mink farms.

It follows restrictions placed on Germany and Sweden, which come into effect from 4am on Saturday.

At Friday’s coronavirus briefing, the First Minister said the restrictions on Denmark will be put in place from 12.30pm today.

She said: “As of this morning and on the advice of the chief medical officer, we have now also removed Denmark from the quarantine exemption list.

“Anyone traveling to Scotland from Denmark will require to quarantine for 14 days.

“Health authorities in Denmark have reported cases in humans a variant strain of the virus associated with outbreaks in mink farms.

“We have taken this decision on a precautionary basis, but it is important that we do so.

“Danish authorities are working very hard to contain this situation but of course we will continue to monitor whether there is a need for any further protections.”

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The First Minister continued to stress that the Scottish Government advises that members of the public should not travel to other parts of the UK or abroad unless for essential purposes.

It follows reports of 1072 new cases of coronavirus in Scotland, with 31 deaths over the past 24 hours.

Of the new cases of the virus, 460 were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 210 in Lanarkshire, 112 in Lothian and 75 in Ayrshire and Arran.