(CNN) -
The United Kingdom has decided to ban the entry of travelers from several Latin American countries "following evidence of a new variant in Brazil," British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter on Thursday.
Starting on Friday at 4 am local time, arrivals to the UK from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.
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"Travel from Portugal to the UK will also be suspended due to its strong travel links with Brazil, which acts as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections," Shapps said, adding that carriers of essential goods are exempt.
It said that these measures would not apply to British and Irish nationals and other citizens who have residency rights in the UK, but arriving passengers would have to be quarantined for 10 days.
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