New York Imposes 14-Day Quarantine for International Travelers

Officials in New York have introduced quarantine rules for international travellers following the emergence of new Covid-19 variants. There are fears of new strains in countries including the UK and South Africa.

New York mayor, Bill de Blasio, said all visitors would be ordered to stay for 14-days at the address they provided on arrival. He added that anyone arriving from the UK would be visited by police to ensure they abide by the rules. Those who breach them will be fined $1,000 a day, de Blasio warned.

About 18.4 million coronavirus cases and more than 326,000 deaths have been recorded across the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University.

New York City was at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the country earlier this year, and has again become one of the worst-affected states. In a statement, Mayor de Blasio said all inbound international travellers must provide their contact details.

Dozens of countries - including nearly all 27 EU states - have already imposed restrictions on travel from the UK, as governments clamp down on the spread of coronavirus over the Christmas period.