Hong Kong said it would ban all flights from Britain following the discovery of a new and highly infectious strain of the coronavirus there.

“From midnight there will be no more passenger flights arriving in Hong Kong from the United Kingdom,” health secretary Sophia Chan told reporters.

Anyone arriving in Hong Kong who has been the UK in the last 14 days will also have to undergo a longer quarantine, officials said.

All international passengers to Hong Kong currently have to undergo a two-week mandatory quarantine in a dedicated hotel, AFP reported. Those with a recent travel history in Britain will have to complete their hotel quarantine as well as a further week's isolation at home before being allowed out in public.