A number of countries have tightened their borders against a surge in variant strains of the deadly coronavirus as the United States ordered travellers to wear masks on most public transport.

As the global death toll surged past 2.2 million, countries are tightening travel restrictions to try to rein in the spread of new more contagious strains of the novel coronavirus.

According to an AFP report, Germany banned most travellers from countries hit by new variants and France is to close its borders to non-European Union countries for all except essential travel from today. In Canada, travellers will have to quarantine in hotels at their own expense and airlines are suspending flights to southern destinations.

And in the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a sweeping order requiring the wearing of masks to protect against the spread of Covid-19 on virtually every form of public transportation throughout the country.