The UK government updates its green, amber and red travel lists, with Turkey staying on the red list and being joined by Montenegro and Thailand – while Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland and the Azores are added to the green list.

Image: The green, amber and red lists are set to be updated today – and there is speculation Turkey could finally be removed from the red list

  • Turkey remains on red list despite expecting to go on amber list – Maldives hits out as it too stays on red list
  • Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the Azores added to green list
  • Montenegro and Thailand added to red list
  • Fears US ban on British travellers could last until November
  • Read more:  Which destinations are on which list – and will they let UK travellers in?  | Summer tracker: How cases compare in holiday hotspots

18:49

A map of the traffic light lists

Check out the map below to see which list each country in the world is on.

18:25

UK airline industry body also calls for less testing

Airlines UK, which represents UK-registered airlines, has joined British Airways in calling for a more liberal approach to travel – and a less prohibitive approach to testing.

A statement from the body said: “This cycle needs to change.

“Despite nearly 80% of over 16s being fully vaccinated the UK remains an outlier, with only a small number of ‘green’ destinations making international travel from the UK more expensive, burdensome and uncertain compared to our neighbours despite most travel abroad being no riskier than our unrestricted travel within the UK.

“Too many families are having to look over their shoulders for rule changes, and pay through the nose for tests – with no sign from government that this will change.

“As has already happened across Europe, it’s time for a more proportionate system where tests are dropped for the fully vaccinated and from destinations where COVID risks are low, with tougher measures targeted at a small number of high risk countries.”

18:18

British Airways boss calls for bigger green list and less testing

Sean Doyle, the CEO and chairman of British Airways, wants to see the UK have a larger green list, and follow Europe and the US with a more liberal approach to testing.

He said: “Despite our world-leading vaccination programme the UK’s economic recovery remains far behind our more pragmatic European neighbours, which are already reaping the rewards of a rapid recovery.

“It cannot be right that although 77% of us have been fully vaccinated we have a much more costly, prohibitive and restrictive testing regime than everyone else, when data suggests just four out of every 1,000 travellers tests positive for coronavirus on their return to the UK, less than the overall rate at home.

“These stats strongly suggest PCR tests should only be needed following a positive lateral flow test.

“We also need to urgently end the uncertainty caused by the constant threat of changes to countries’ traffic light status. Our ‘green’ list is much smaller than that of the US and EU, despite no new variants being transported into the UK.”

18:10

Criticism over reasons for move

Following the latest announcement on the travel lists, people have criticised the government for a “lack of transparency” over how decisions are made.

Turkey remaining on the red list, and India staying amber are just some of the moves people are questioning.

Analyst Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “A continuing, complete lack of transparency underlines these changes  which should be wider. Travel continues to be tethered.”

17:58

Questions over Maldives staying on the red list

The Maldives high commissioner to the UK has raised questions about why the country remains on the UK’s red list.

Farah Faizal said: “Deeply disappointing that the UK continues to keep the Maldives on the red list despite low case numbers & high vaccination rates. We have just started regular genome sequencing too. Perhaps it came too late for this review?”

She was joined on social media by others asking the same question.

In it’s explanation for moving Thailand and Montenegro to the red list, the UK government highlighted the lower rates of genomic surveillance, and the issues this presents.

17:56

The government has now updated its website

You can find the updated lists here.

17:54

Expert questions ‘strange’ decisions in travel update

17:41

Turkey remains on red list

The country had said it expected to be moved to the amber list – but expert Tim White noted in this blog that the data wasn’t entirely going in the right direction.

17:40

Grant Shapps tweet leaves people furious as link didn’t include update

We now have the update on a press release (see previous post) – but that is unlikely to have been sent to 99.9% of the British population.

Instead they’ve had to wait for media updates.

Mr Shapps included a link to a general government homepage – and even if people managed to find the traffic light lists from there, they were last updated on 8 August.

Click here for as-yet-not-updated list.

17:39

UK travel list updated

The Department for Transport has announced the update to the UK travel list.

Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the Azores will be added to the green list from 4am on 30 August.

Thailand and Montenegro will be moved to the red list at the same time.

A statement from the department said: “The high rates combined with lower levels of published genomic surveillance in Thailand and Montenegro than other countries, mean that an outbreak of a new variant or existing variants of concern (VOC) or variants under investigation (VUI) cannot be easily identified before it is imported and seeded across the UK.”

People travelling from green list countries do not have to quarantine on return to the UK, regardless of vaccination status, but still need to take pre-departure and day two tests – and complete a passenger locator form.

People arriving from red list destinations have to isolate at a managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and be tested as necessary.

17:33

Transport secretary advises airlines to avoid travelling over Afghanistan

Grant Shapps, who is due to announce an update to the UK travel list, has issued a Notice to Aviation (NOTAM) following today’s attack in Afghanistan.

He said: “Following the shocking scenes in Afghanistan today, I have issued a NOTAM (Notice to Aviation) further advising airlines to avoid Afghan airspace under 25,000ft. We will continue to keep this under review.”

Follow our live coverage of Afghanistan here.

17:26

Scotland travel green list update

The Scottish government has published its updated travel list.

Canada, the Azores, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Switzerland have all moved to the green list.

Meanwhile, Montenegro and Thailand have been moved to the red list.

These moves will take effect from 4am on 30 August.

17:20

Health officials worried about bank holiday travel

People working in the health sector in UK holiday destinations are concerned about the impact bank holiday getaways may have on their regions.

It comes after festivals like Boardmasters were linked to a spike in cases.

According The Falmouth Packet, Rachel Wigglesworth, director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “COVID cases have been rising steadily across Cornwall over recent weeks – particularly in our tourist hotspots.

“This is an inevitable consequence of the lifting of restrictions and the Delta variant’s increased transmissibility. It is quite a different picture to last summer.

“Of course, big events and mass gatherings like Boardmasters are now permitted and our public health team worked closely with the organisers over many weeks to ensure the event was as COVID-safe as possible, with measures going above and beyond national guidance.”

She urged people to get vaccinated and tested before they travel.

Similar pleas were made by officials in the Lake District.

16:49

West is best for bank holiday sunshine – but it won’t be a scorcher

Forecast by Joanna Robinson, Sky weather producer

High pressure has led to a mostly settled week this week, with little change over the bank holiday weekend.

There will be plenty of sunshine, best in the West, but not for everyone. Temperatures will be around average for most, highest in the North West, lowest along Britain’s east coast.

Saturday looks mainly dry, but South East England can expect a few showers. Early low cloud and fog will lift to leave plenty of sunshine, but northwest Scotland and northwest Ireland will be dull and damp.

There will also be quite a lot of cloud across central and eastern England, but sunny spells are still likely there.

It will be on the warm side in the sunny North West, rather cool along eastern coasts, but generally temperatures will be around average.

Sunday will be similar, but more of northern Scotland will be grey with some drizzly rain. Other coastal areas will be at risk of low cloud too.

Showers will remain a risk across eastern England, but they will be fairly isolated. It will become breezy around coasts in the South and East.

Bank holiday Monday will bring more of the same, but it will be cooler overall.

16:33

New red list countries

The Guardian is reporting that Montenegro and Thailand are to be added to the travel red list.

Meanwhile, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Azores will be added to the green list.

16:22

Jacinda Ardern to stick with strict lockdown

New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is to keep going with strict coronavirus restrictions, amid an outbreak in the remote nation.

The country has managed to avoid the worst outcomes of the pandemic due to being able to seal its borders, and for large parts of the past 17 months has been COVID free.

However, with an outbreak of 277 infections currently, there are concerns the Delta variant may run riot through the country.

Ms Ardern says she is confident cases will soon start to drop, after a strict lockdown was implemented last week.

Air New Zealand, the county’s flag carrier, made an annual loss of NZ$440m (£223m) after revenue dropped 50%.

New Zealand has maintained strict entry requirements to keep it’s “zero COVID” status.

15:30

Brighton getaways pricier than Nice – Which?

Consumer rights advocate Which? has published a report into the prices of going on holiday in the UK vs abroad.

It has found the cost of private accommodation in the UK, like hotels, has risen sharply when compared to 2019, and therefore so-called “staycations” are now pricier than heading abroad.

The only holiday Which? could find as cheaper in the UK was a beach getaway to Tenby, Wales, which was £10 cheaper when compared to Estepona, on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

A seven-day break in Brighton worked out to £1,131, while a comparable holiday in Nice, France, works out to £1,085.

Scott McCabe, professor of marketing and tourism at the University of Nottingham, says: “In addition to taxes, UK hoteliers have to contend with rising land and property prices and a worsening labour shortage, both of which are likely to be driving up prices for consumers.”

Read the full report here.

15:10

British Airways eyes up new subsidiary for short haul flights

The UK’s flag carrier is considering spinning its short haul routes off to a new operation, as it seeks to recover from the damage caused by the pandemic.

BA had to slash its short-haul operations – based at Gatwick – as global travel collapsed in the past 17 months.

Now, according to the Wall Street Journal, a new subsidiary is being considered which could act as a competitor to the likes of easyJet and Ryanair, with cheaper operating costs to help the company recover.

A BA spokesman told the WSJ the company was in talks with its union over the matter.

14:31

How do positivity rates compare in the most popular holiday destinations for Britons?

The chart below compares the test positive rate in seven of the most popular holiday destinations with the UK.

Interestingly, the latest figure we have for Spain shows it is significantly higher the other countries in our chart.

Spain is currently amber and we have heard no suggestion it will be moved to the red list, which would require returning travellers to pay thousands to stay in a quarantine hotel.

It is worth reminding you at this point of potential changes flagged by data expert Tim White for this afternoon’s announcement:

  • European countries considered largely safe from being added to the red list
  • Morocco, St Lucia and Jamaica are the most likely holiday destinations to turn red
  • Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iraq, Iran, Kosovo, Georgia and Russia also in danger of turning red
  • Turkey could be removed from the red list
  • Croatia, Israel and Bulgaria may go from green to the watchlist or even amber
  • Madeira too may face reclassifying, to match mainland Portugal’s amber status
  • Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica could also be moved to a stricter list

14:18

Caution urged for tourists after two fatalities in Death Valley, US

Authorities in California’s Death Valley National Park are reminding visitors to limit their activities amid blistering heat at the natural attraction.

Two people have died in recent days, as temperatures soar to 46C – although it has been known to get into the high 50s at Death Valley.

Blake Chaplin, 52, from Kansas, was found on 21 August by a fellow hiker, while 60-year-old Lawrence Stanback, 60, from San Francisco, died on the same trail on 18 August.

Foul play is not suspected in Mr Chaplin’s death, and Mr Stanback is thought to have died of heat stroke.

A statement from the park authorities said: “Although these temperatures may be cooler compared to a typical Death Valley summer day, precautions should still be taken while visiting in the heat.”

13:32

Jason, you speak for most of us

13:31

Vaccinated people from Indonesia and the Philippines given go ahead to fly to Hong Kong for work

Hong Kong will begin allowing domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines to fly into the city from the end of August.

Hong Kong is experiencing a shortage of workers thanks to its strict COVID travel policy which has seen flights from the two countries banned.

Under the new arrangements, domestic helpers must be fully vaccinated and have a working visa before they will be allowed entry from 31 August. They must also quarantine for 21 days at a specific hotel, with the costs to be borne by their employers.

Hong Kong, with its entry restrictions and social distancing measures, has kept its reported COVID-19 cases to about 12,000, with just 212 deaths.

Indonesia has so far reported over 4 million cases and the Philippines nearly 1.9 million.

13:20

Thousands of spider crabs gather on south coast of England in a spectacular natural phenomenon

The event, which is rarely captured, was filmed near the beach at tourist hub Falmouth at low tide.

It takes place annually between late summer and early autumn as crabs rally together to protect themselves from predators.

They are extremely vulnerable during the moulting process, as they crack open their exoskeletons and grow a new outer shell.

The mass aggregation of male crabs was filmed by Matt Slater, a marine conservation officer for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

“I have seen spider crabs on every dive and snorkel I have done for the past four years, but I have never seen a group as large as this,” he said.

“Looking down at the mass of crabs scuttling on the seabed was a truly incredible experience.

“Our seas are full of surprises – most locals would have no idea that one of the world’s great wildlife aggregations is occurring not too far from where they sleep.

“It goes to show how important our Cornish seas are and why we all need to look after them better.”

The spiny spider crab is a common species in Cornish waters, and is known for its characteristically long, spiny legs and claws which can span up to one metre.

12:53

Will Pakistan be moved off the red list?

Pakistan’s status on the red list has been the subject of consternation for many, given neighbouring India has been removed.

Several MPs have accused the government of making decisions based on economic factors rather than data.

Data expert Tim White is unsympathetic to that view – and suggests the chances of Pakistan coming off the red list this time are far from certain.

He told Sky News: “Many in Pakistan got angry when India got amber status and not its neighbour. For me it was the correct decision as positive test rates in Pakistan were still too high and rates were actually rising while they were stable in India.

“Three weeks later, Pakistan’s rates are still relatively high but they are coming down and it has a much better chance of getting upgraded [to amber list] though it’s by no means certain.

“Still 2.6% of UK arrivals tested positive from Pakistan, much higher than the government would like when removing a country from red.”

Only British and Irish nationals are allowed into the UK from a red list nation – and even then an adult must pay £2,285 to stay in a quarantine hotel for 10 days.

12:52

Pubs to serve 60 million pints over bank holiday weekend – six million fewer than before the pandemic

Pubs are expected to serve 60 million pints over the August bank holiday weekend – six million fewer than in 2019.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, said the forecast was based on a survey of its members, who own 20,000 of the UK’s pubs and brew 90% of the beer in the UK.

Over the bank holiday weekend alone, pubs will lose out on £25m, or 10%, of revenue from pint sales compared to the same bank holiday in 2019 before the pandemic.

A BBPA spokesperson said: “Of course our sector is grateful to be fully open again and for all the trade it can get,.

“Trading 10% down is a huge gap in sales for pubs. Especially after 16 months of lockdown and heavy restrictions that destroyed trade.”

11:41

Which countries have the toughest restrictions?

Britons are waiting to hear whether any countries will move list in today’s travel announcement – but the traffic light classification isn’t the only factor you may want to consider.

We have taken a look at how strict the restrictions are in every European country to provide an idea of what faces you when you get there.

The darker the colour on the map, the tighter the rules – with France having the most severe restrictions in place.

Austria, Portugal, Italy and Greece are other holiday hotspots at the stricter end of the scale.

11:30

Worrying figures from both the US and Australia

We have been reporting over the last few days on when Britons might be able to travel to the US and Australia.

Several airlines have pushed back the resumption of flights to the US amid concern America won’t allow Britons in until late November.

Australia has said it will gradually begin to open up to foreign tourists when its vaccination levels reach 80%.

With these things in mind, anyone hoping to travel to these two countries will be keeping an eye on the COVID data there – and it is not looking too positive.

11:19

What time will we get travel announcement?

No firm guidance has been put out by the Department of Transport so we can only go on past announcements.

Last time it was around 10pm on a Wednesday night – but that boat has sailed and Sky News always expected a return to the normal Thursday announcement.

They have tended to come at around 5pm in the form of a tweet by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

We’ll have all the news and ramifications as it happens right here.

11:16

Expert predicts ‘very few’ changes today

Paul Charles is CEO of the PC Agency, a leading brand agency in the travel sector.

11:11

‘Only four in 1,000 double-jabbed holidaymakers test positive for COVID’

The Daily Telegraph has an interesting line that just four in 1,000 fully vaccinated holidaymakers are testing positive for COVID on their return to the UK.

The paper has seen data which has prompted MPs to call for expensive PCR tests to be replaced by cheaper lateral flow tests, given the apparent low risks.

It says the data is being studied by Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

The Telegraph reports: “Single vaccinated travellers were twice as likely to test positive, representing 0.8 per cent of arrivals. Even for unjabbed holidaymakers it was only between one and 1.2 per cent, according to the analysis from Cignpost, which conducts 11,000 tests on arrivals a day.”

Henry Smith, the Tory chairman of the all-party Future of Aviation group, said: “The data really makes the case for a much simpler and straightforward testing regime.”

There are, however, fears that replacing PCR tests would mean sequencing cannot be done – and therefore new variants would be missed.

11:02

Gatwick wants testing rules scrapped for green and amber arrivals

Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate wants ministers to scrap the testing requirements for doubled-jabbed arrivals from green and amber countries.

All arrivals from green and amber list countries must take a pre-departure test and another on or before day two upon their return.

Mr Wingate said: “If our government were to do that and follow the lead of other European nations then we believe the pent up demand will start to flow through and passenger volumes will start to recover.

“In the UK, we’re at about 15-20% of our pre-pandemic passenger volumes. France and Germany are at about 50-60% of pre-pandemic passenger volumes. With that easing of travel restrictions, we should expect to see a very sharp recovery.”

10:26

UK air arrivals down 87% on pre-pandemic levels

Air travel to the UK has dropped by 87% on pre-pandemic levels, figures show.

Some 1.4 million airline passengers arrived in the country last month, severely down on usual levels, Home Office data shows.

The figure is up 14% on the 1.3 million arrivals in July 2020, but is still 87% lower than the 11.2 million that arrived in the same month in 2019.

The pandemic has continued to have a significant impact on air travel. Between April 2020 and July 2021 arrival numbers were 90% lower than pre-pandemic levels.

10:10

Tourism chief says ‘last thing’ Cornwall needs is a ‘load if impromptu’ visits from holidaymakers

A tourism chief has told Sky News the last thing Cornwall needs is a “load of impromptu, unplanned” visits from holidaymakers.

On Tuesday, the tourist board urged people to stay away unless they have pre-booked their trip amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the county.

Speaking to Sky News, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, Malcolm Bell, said: “We are very, very busy… please don’t come down on spec.

“You are gonna get frustrated, you’re gonna get annoyed.

“You probably won’t be able to find anywhere to stay and you’ll certainly struggle to find anywhere to book into a restaurant or café.”

He added: “We are very busy and the last thing we need is a load of impromptu, unplanned visits.”

Both Devon and Cornwall had 500 cases or more per 100,000 people in the seven days to 18 August, according to figures calculated by the PA news agency.

The figure was 300 or less per 100,000 people a week before.

Meanwhile, health officials are investigating 4,700 cases that are suspected to be linked to the Boardmasters festival, which took place nearly two weeks ago in Newquay.

10:00

Will Turkey turn amber?

We have focused a lot of Turkey this week amid reports it could turn red.

Travel and COVID data expert Tim White has been working with us this week and he says there is a case for moving Turkey to amber – but there are factors in play which means it is not certain.

This is what White had to say, providing wider context to its red-list status…

“Turkey virtually admitted manipulating its data last year when cases suddenly quadrupled overnight and the government there claimed different reporting methods (yeah, right!). They obviously hoped the mea-culpa would lead to more sympathetic hearings in future.

“I’ve still had some doubts and maybe the UK government has too.

“I predicted it would miss out last time as cases were rising and that decision angered a lot of people. I get more questions (and abuse) on the subject Turkey than anywhere else.

“Sadly this time the positivity rate has just started to tick up again, and the numbers coming into UK ports and airports with the infection was also up in the last report.

“But not by an alarming amount and I think it probably is about time to remove Turkey from red, allowing travellers to skip the dreaded hotel ‘prison’ quarantine.

“Many, many families and partners are separated by Turkey’s long stretch on the red list, but it may well be about to end.”

09:11

Qantas planning to resume UK- Australia flights in mid-December

Australian airline Qantas says it aims to restart flights to and from the UK from mid-December, while other international destinations could open up by April next year.

The Sydney-based airline company said it expects flights to countries with high vaccination rates including the United States, Britain, Japan and Singapore will resume in mid-December, in line with Australia’s vaccination plans.

Australia’s government plans to begin a gradual reopening of international borders once the country reaches a vaccination rate of 80% – a figure within reach by the end of the year.

Flights to countries with lower vaccination rates including Indonesia, the Philippines and South Africa will restart from April next year at the earliest, Qantas said in a statement.

“One of the biggest unknowns is the quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers entering Australia,” the statement said.

According to the latest government figures released on Thursday, some 32% of the population is fully vaccinated.

08:44

Every prediction for today’s travel list

Sky News been working with data expert Tim White this week to try to predict what will change in today’s travel announcement – and here is a round up of the potential movers:

  • European countries considered largely safe from being added to the red list
  • Morocco, St Lucia and Jamaica are the most likely holiday destinations to turn red
  • Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iraq, Iran, Kosovo, Georgia and Russia also in danger of turning red
  • Turkey could be removed from the red list
  • Croatia, Israel and Bulgaria may go from green to the watchlist or even amber
  • Madeira too may face reclassifying, to match mainland Portugal’s amber status
  • Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica could also be moved to a stricter list

Follow Tim on Twitter at @TWMCLtd

08:28

And finally – vaccination rates in the same key holiday destinations currently on the amber or red list

We have looked at death rates and positivity rates in 11 key holiday destinations that are on the amber list (plus Turkey, which is red) to get an idea of what might change in today’s travel update.

While the vaccination rate is unlikely to be front and centre of the decision – which comes after recommendations from the Joint Biosecurity Centre – it can indicate whether a country is getting to grips with COVID.

Most of the destinations below are around the 50% mark, or slightly higher, when it comes to having double jabbed its citizens – but you’ll notice Jamaica and Morocco, which have been tipped to be red listed, are lagging behind.

Croatia and Turkey are also falling short.

08:23

The same countries – but looking now at death data

We have been reporting that the data is pointing towards Jamaica and Morocco being added to the red list this week.

In the post below we showed you how the test positivity rate has rocketed in both countries.

In Morocco it is 21.4% and in Jamaica it is even higher at 29% – and remember that 5% is the figure the WHO cites as necessary for keeping the pandemic under control.

We have also collated data on COVID death rates in key holiday destinations that are currently on the amber list, as well as Turkey (red) and the UK (for comparative purposes).

They tell a similar story about Morocco and Jamaica.

While death rates are also up in Turkey, cases have been on the slide.

08:21

COVID data from 11 holiday hotspots currently on the amber list (plus Turkey, which is red)

Ahead of today’s travel list announcement we have picked out 11 of the most popular holiday destinations currently on the amber list to see which could be in danger of moving to the red list.

The data set we have looked at is positivity rate in the country over seven days – so, the percentage of COVID tests that come back positive.

The WHO has said countries need to keep this below 5% to keep the pandemic under control.

Switzerland (13.2%) and Spain (12%) are well over that figure – though as we told you earlier this week, data expert Tim White does not think these countries are in danger.

It’s a different story for Morocco (21.4%) and Jamaica (29%), however.

Turkey, which is currently on the red list but is hoping to move to amber, has a positivity rate of 7.1%.

We have included the UK for the purposes of comparison.

08:19

How are changes to travel list decided? 

Changes to the travel list have caused huge frustration this summer, with holidays cancelled and plans shattered at short notice – but how are the decisions made?

Sky correspondent Helen-Ann Smith explains all…

08:16

Which countries are on which list?

Ahead of today’s travel announcement, the map below shows which countries are currently on which list. Tap around the map or use the search function…

08:15

Key points:

  • Turkey remains on red list despite expecting to go on amber list – Maldives hits out as it too stays on red list
  • Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the Azores added to green list
  • Montenegro and Thailand added to red list
  • Fears US ban on British travellers could last until November
  • Read more:  Which destinations are on which list – and will they let UK travellers in?  | Summer tracker: How cases compare in holiday hotspots

07:45

What countries are at risk of turning red today?

The government is expected to update the travel list later today.

Experts say no European countries face being added to the red list – mandating hotel quarantine on return to the UK – but a handful of international destinations do.

Based on coronavirus data St Lucia faces being added to list, coronavirus data analyst Tim White has warned, as “the numbers keep getting worse”.

He said 189 new daily coronavirus cases on the island have been reported, which is 83% more than a week ago. Two additional deaths have been confirmed.

Mr White said Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria and Ghana could also be put on the red list.

There is also thought to be a case for Turkey to be moved from the red list to the amber list, based on the data.

Destinations such as Spain, France and Greece will stay on the amber list, according to multiple reports.

21:43

Earthquakes detected at Hawaiian volcano

Don’t worry, it’s not erupting at this point – but there have been a series of quakes at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano.

More than 140 tremors were detected overnight and into this morning, with the largest at magnitude 3.3, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

The observatory has changed its volcano alert level to watch from advisory, which means it is showing heightened or escalating unrest with more potential for an eruption.

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and has erupted 34 times since 1952.

Pic below shows the volcano erupting in 2018

21:16

Some options for autumn holidays

Most people could probably agree this summer in the UK has been disappointing.

But with more countries opening up their borders to Britons in the coming months, maybe it’s worth considering an autumn getaway.

Fully vaccinated Britons will be able to enter Canada from 7 September – the perfect time to take in the country’s majestic scenery.

However, holidays in Canada appear off-limits for those hoping to travel with teenage family members. Unvaccinated travellers aged 12-17 must follow testing and quarantine rules, while under-12s travelling with fully vaccinated adults are exempt from quarantine but will have to take multiple tests.

Another option could be Italy, although it currently has a five-day quarantine requirement.

However, it’s understood the Italian embassy in the UK is pressing the government to remove the quarantine. If it is dropped, Italy is on the amber list and double-jabbed people can therefore travel without having to quarantine on return.

Mauritius is also on the amber list and will be reopening fully to vaccinated travellers from 1 October.

People will still need to provide evidence of a negative PCR test beforehand.

20:58

Planning a UK stay this bank holiday? You might be surprised by the prices

If you were hoping for a cheap getaway, we’re sorry to break this to you.

The average nightly price of holiday rentals on Airbnb for this bank holiday weekend has increased by up to 22% on previous weeks, according to a study by money.co.uk.

Areas with major events taking place this weekend saw the highest jump in prices.

The cities with the biggest price increase over the bank holiday weekend are:

  • Liverpool – 22%
  • Bristol – 11%
  • Manchester – 11%
  • Glasgow – 7%
  • Leeds – 4%

19:13

‘World’s fastest rollercoaster’ shut down after riders report bone fractures

Fuji-Q Highland’s Do-Dodonpa ride is said to be the fastest rollercoaster in the world, reaching speeds of more than 110mph in just over 1.5 seconds.

However, thrill-seekers won’t be able to tick this ride off the list for now as it is being investigated for allegedly causing bone-breaking injuries.

The park had received four reports of bone fractures, including a woman in her 30s who suffered fractures in her neck and chest in December.

In May, a man in his 40s reported a compression fracture in his spine. A woman in her 50s sustained fractures in her spine and neck in July.

Staff found no issues with the ride and concluded those injured had not been sitting properly, allowing it to continue operating, but when a fourth person suffered fractures this month it was reported to the regional government and transport ministry.

An investigation was launched and the ride suspended, but a park official told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper that a causal relationship between the ride and the injuries had not been confirmed.

18:38

Switzerland considers COVID certification for most public indoor spaces

Anyone hoping to visit Switzerland might want to take note of this.

Under plans being considered by the government, people would need to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test to enter events, restaurants, bars, cinemas and museums.

Fears hospitals could soon become overrun are the driving force behind the plans, as the government has warned hospitals could be overwhelmed within “a few weeks”.

Ministers said the country is now facing a “very worrying” rise in infections, with more than 3,000 cases reported today.

18:28

 US airline to charge unvaccinated employees

Delta Air Lines has announced that unvaccinated employees will be charged $200 (£146) per month.

The airline says the policy is being implemented because each employee hospital stay costs the company $40,000 (£29,000).

CEO Ed Bastian said that all employees who have been hospitalised for the virus in recent weeks were not fully vaccinated.

Rivals United Airlines have said that unvaccinated workers face losing their jobs.

18:17

Green-list Bulgaria to extend restrictions for three months

The government in Bulgaria is extending coronavirus restrictions until the end of November, as the country goes into a new wave of infections.

With just 16% of the seven million population fully vaccinated, Bulgaria has the EU’s lowest vaccination rate.

In the early parts of July, the country had just a few dozen new coronavirus cases a day – it is now seeing a few thousand.

Health minister Soycho Katsarov said: “The country is entering a new wave of the pandemic.

“We are registering an increase in the number of infected people, in hospitalisations and this requires an extension.”

Wearing face masks and staying socially distanced is mandatory in closed public spaces, including public transportation, health care facilities, museums and churches.

Bulgaria is currently on the UK’s green list for travel.

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