The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy decided on Sunday to suspend all flights from the United Kingdom after the discovery in this country of a new "out of control" variant of the Covid-19, while the Germany was "seriously" considering taking similar measures.

The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy decided on Sunday to suspend all flights from the United Kingdom after the discovery in this country of a new "out of control" variant of the Covid-19, while the Germany was "seriously" considering taking similar steps.

The new strain of coronavirus was "out of control", admitted on Sunday the British Minister of Health, Matt Hancock, thus justifying a re-containment of London and part of England, which could, according to him, last until deployment of a vaccine.

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In the Netherlands, a case of contamination by a variant of Covid-19

The reconfigurations decided in London and in the south-east of England come as the end of the year holidays approach, Italy is completely reconfigured and other European countries are toughening the measures taken to to contain the third wave of the threatening pandemic.

The Dutch government suspended all passenger flights from the UK at 6 a.m. local time until January 1 after the discovery in the Netherlands of a case of contamination with a variant of the coronavirus circulating in part of British territory. 

Belgium, meanwhile, suspends flights and trains from the United Kingdom from Sunday midnight (23:00 GMT).

As for Germany, it was "seriously" considering Sunday a suspension of flights from not only the United Kingdom but also South Africa after the discovery of a variant of Covid-19 in these countries.

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Worsen transport problems linked to Brexit

"Restrictions on air traffic from Britain and South Africa are a serious option" being considered by Berlin, said a source close to the Ministry of Health.

A new variant of the coronavirus, the "501.V2" was detected in South Africa, which could explain the speed of the transmissions of this second wave also affecting younger patients, announced Friday evening the Minister of Health, Zwelini Mkhize .

Such a disruption to air and rail traffic, if it continues into January, could exacerbate Brexit-related transport problems, with the UK leaving the EU's single market on December 31, which guarantees free movement within of its borders.

The suspension of the links was necessary all the more since the British Minister of Health himself admitted that "unfortunately the new strain was out of control". 

"We had to take control back, and the only way to do that is to restrict social contact," Matt Hancock told Sky News.

"It will be very difficult to keep it under control until a vaccine is deployed," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that initial data showed the virus circulating in London and south-east England is up to 70% more contagious than the previous strain.