Italy and Vatican City are added to latest UK quarantine list

As of 04:00 BST on Sunday, anyone returning to any part of the United Kingdom from those three places, must quarantine for 14 days.

The transport secretary Grant Shapps also said those returning from the Greek island of Crete will now not need to quarantine.

Italy, which is visited by large numbers of UK residents, was one of the last major countries in Europe on the safe list.

It had its highest daily count of Covid cases on Thursday, with 8,804.

The country has recorded a seven-day rate of 64 cases per 100,000 people.

A rate of 20 cases per 100,000 is the threshold above which the government considers imposing quarantine conditions.

Changes to the government's list of destinations from which arrivals do not need to enter quarantine have typically been announced every Thursday at 17:00 BST, and implemented the following Saturday at 04:00 BST.

Announcing the news on Twitter, Grant Shapps said the implementation date would be moved to 04:00 BST on Sunday 18 October and applies UK wide.

Scotland has added mainland Greece and the Greek islands - including Crete, but excluding Mykonos - to its travel corridor list, having removed the country last month. Wales and Northern Ireland have also added Crete to their safe lists.

Poland, Turkey and the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba were among the most recent places added to the quarantine list.

In Italy, it is mandatory to wear face coverings in indoor spaces, including shops, offices, public transport and in bars and restaurants when not seated at a table, though private homes are exempt.

Masks must also be worn in busy outdoor spaces. The country recently announced compulsory testing for anyone arriving from the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

France and Spain have long been on the UK quarantine list and yesterday, French president Emmanuel Macron announced a curfew between 9pm and 6am in nine major French cities, including Paris.