Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said six more countries will be added to the red list because of a new variant of the coronavirus virus.
Mr Javid took to Twitter to explain that the UK will be taking further "precautions" by banning flights to six countries.
The six countries are all in Africa and will be added to the red list from tomorrow.
The Health Secretary warned that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating the new variant and was still collecting more data.
On Twitter, Mr Javid said: " @UKHSA is investigating a new variant. More data is needed but we're taking precautions now.
"From noon tomorrow six African countries will be added to the red list, flights will be temporarily banned, and UK travellers must quarantine."
UK officials sounded the alarm on Thursday night over the B.1.1.529 variant, which has the potential to evade immunity built up by vaccination or prior infection.
Mr Javid said the new variant identified in South Africa “may be more transmissible” than the Delta strain and “the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective”.
Which African countries have been added to the red list?
Mr Javid said that flights from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe will be suspended from midday Friday and all six countries will be added to the red list.
