Asia follows Europe to ban travel from UK after COVID variant found

US slow to act as countries aim to block strain said to be 70% more transmissible

Trucks are parked on the M20 motorway, as European Union countries impose a travel ban from the U.K., near Ashford, Britain, on Dec. 21. © Reuters

Nikkei staff writers

December 21, 2020 20:02 JST

Updated on December 22, 2020 02:21 JST

TOKYO -- Asian governments have started to bar travel from the U.K. after Boris Johnson's government said a coronavirus variant was out of control in parts of the country.

Hong Kong said Monday that it will ban anyone who has spent at least two hours in the U.K. in the past two weeks from boarding a flight to the city, due to the outbreak of the new more virulent strain.