Switzerland to have Covid quarantine re-imposed as Czech republic, Jamaica and Iceland enter danger zone

Switzerland is set to have quarantine re-imposed by the end of the week - as Jamaica, the Czech republic and Iceland moved into the danger zone with increasing rates of Covid-19.

Switzerland’s coronavirus rate has increased to 21.1 per 100,000 over the past seven days, above the safety threshold of 20 used by the Government for “red list” countries.

Ministers are due to meet within the next 48 hours to decide with an announcement expected on Thursday, giving any holidaymakers or business travellers in Switzerland some 30 hours to return before the usual 4am deadline and avoid 14 days self-isolating.

If confirmed, Switzerland will follow Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and other countries back into quarantine. Gibraltar is also vulnerable with a rate of 92.8 cases per 100,000 of the population in the past seven days, although this is from a very low base of numbers.

The Czech republic at 18.6, Iceland at 16.5 and Jamaica at 16.5, increases that are putting them close to the 20 per 100,000 threshold.

The world's fastest man Usain Bolt is in quarantine at his home in Jamaica after testing positive for COVID-19 - days after celebrating his 34th birthday party with other sports stars.

The country's health minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, confirmed Bolt had coronavirus and had been formally notified of the test result, the Jamaica Observer reported.

Bolt's condition raised questions over England and Manchester City footballer Raheem Sterling, who attended a party with the former sprinter in Jamaica on Friday.

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of Manchester airport, said: “We fully support swift and decisive action to restrict travel to overseas regions that are experiencing increases in infection rates.

"But the Government should act with the same urgency to enable travel to places where rates have fallen to acceptable levels, or that already present a low risk to holidaymakers.

"Current restrictions have blocked travel to the vast majority of the most popular destinations British travellers fly to each summer.

"Aside from impacting the summer holiday plans of millions of people, jobs – and the wider recovery of the travel and tourism sector - are being put at risk by the approach currently being adopted by the UK.”