LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) – Britain’s transport minister said he had ordered flights and arrivals from South Africa to be halted after a potentially more infectious variant of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 had spread to Britain.

“I’ve taken the decision to temporarily stop flights and arrivals entering England from South Africa from 9am tomorrow following an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton)

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